President Tô Lâm (right) receives Prime Minister Han Duck Soo at the Presidential Palace in Hà Nội on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

HÀ NỘI — President Tô Lâm hosted a meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck Soo of South Korea, who led a high-level delegation of the South Korean government to Việt Nam to pay respects to Việt Nam’s Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

At the Presidential Palace on Thursday, Prime Minister Han Duck Soo conveyed President Yoon Suk Yeol's deep condolences to the State and people of Việt Nam and the relatives of Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

He affirmed that Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng's contributions to the development of the country and the friendly cooperation relationship between Việt Nam and South Korea would always be remembered by the people of both.

On behalf of the Party, State and people of Việt Nam, Lâm expressed sincere gratitude to President Yoon Suk Yeol for sending a message of condolence to the Party, State and people of Việt Nam, as well as to the relatives of Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

"The presence of Prime Minister Han Duck Soo, leading the high-level delegation of the South Korean government to Việt Nam to pay respects to Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, demonstrates South Korea's special regard for the comprehensive strategic partnership between Việt Nam and South Korea," Lâm said.

Lâm also said that the passing of Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng was a great loss to the Party, Government and people of Việt Nam, as well as to his family.

“Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng has always valued and made significant contributions to the development of Việt Nam - South Korea cooperation to new heights, particularly in upgrading bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022,” he said.

Lâm added that Việt Nam's Party, State and the people always treasured and desired to further develop the comprehensive strategic partnership with South Korea in a substantial and effective manner across all fields.

He stressed the need for both sides to continue regular high-level visits and exchanges, strengthening political trust, laying the foundation for promoting cooperation in other areas, especially in terms of national defence and security, contributing to maintaining peace, stability and development in the region and the world, as well as promoting economic, trade and investment cooperations.

Lâm hoped that South Korean enterprises would continue to expand their investments in Việt Nam.

He also emphasised the expansion of cooperation in education, culture, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, enhancing local cooperation and caring for supporting and creating favourable conditions for each other's citizens.

For his part, Prime Minister Han Duck Soo highly appreciated Việt Nam's role and position in the region and the world, affirming that South Korea considered Việt Nam an important partner in its foreign policy and a key partner in implementing policies in the region such as the Indo-Pacific Strategy and the ASEAN-Korea Initiative.

He also expressed his desire to develop the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries in depth and substance, in order to be effective bilaterally and multilaterally in the future.

Prime Minister Han Duck Soo also extended President Yoon Suk Yeol's invitation to Lâm to visit South Korea.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (left) receives Prime Minister Han Duck Soo on Thursday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

On the same day, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính welcomed Prime Minister Han Duck Soo, leading the high-level delegation of the South Korean government to Việt Nam to attend the funeral for Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

On behalf of the Party and Government of Việt Nam, PM Chính sincerely thanked President Yoon Suk Yeol and the South Korean government for conveying condolences and sending Prime Minister Han Duck Soo – Special Envoy of President Yoon Suk Yeol – to lead the high-level delegation of the South Korean government to Việt Nam to pay respects to Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

PM Chính said: “This is the precious care and special regard of the South Korean government and people for the comprehensive strategic partnership between Việt Nam and South Korea, particularly towards Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.”

The Government leader also added that the Party, Government and the people of Việt Nam particularly valued relations with South Korea.

He said that both sides needed to continue to strengthen political trust, promote exchanges at all levels, promote economic, trade, investment cooperation and development cooperation – the main pillar of bilateral relations, striving to achieve the goal of raising bilateral trade turnover to US$100 billion soon, while aiming for $150 billion by 2030.

PM Chính hoped that South Korean enterprises would continue to expand their investment in Việt Nam, focusing on strategic industries and future industries such as semiconductors, digital transformation, the green and circular economies, technology, renewable energy and artificial intelligence (AI).

Prime Minister Han Duck Soo assessed Việt Nam as a promising investment destination with nearly 10,000 South Korean enterprises currently committed.

He suggested Việt Nam to continue to create favourable conditions for South Korean enterprises to invest and expand their investment scale.

Prime Minister Han Duck Soo thanked Việt Nam's leadership for promoting dialogues, resolving difficulties, and creating favourable conditions for South Korean enterprises to invest smoothly over the past time.

He expressed his desire to further develop the comprehensive strategic partnership with Việt Nam in depth and effectiveness.

On the same day, at the Hà Nội-based National Funeral Hall, Lâm also received Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser of India who was representing the Indian Government to pay respects to Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

Lâm sincerely thanked the Government and people of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval for their special sentiments towards Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, as well as standing side by side with Việt Nam's leadership and people during these painful times, demonstrating the deep bond between the two countries and peoples.

Also at the National Funeral Hall, Lâm received Laid Rebigua, Algerian Minister of Veterans Affairs and the People.

Lâm thanked the Algerian delegation for attending, emphasising that Việt Nam would always treasure and remember the precious sentiments of the Government and the people of Algeria. — VNS