Vietnamese brides in the RoK welcomed Madame Ngô Phương Ly, spouse of General Secretary Tô Lâm, to the meeting in Seoul on August 11. — VNA/VNS Photo

SEOUL — Party General Secretary Tô Lâm’s spouse, Ngô Phương Ly, met with representatives of Vietnamese brides living in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, on Sunday afternoon.

At the gathering, Ly conveyed warm greetings from home, expressing deep emotion and pride in the strong, practical and comprehensive Việt Nam–RoK relationship. She emphasised the crucial role of the Vietnamese community, now over 350,000 strong, including more than 100,000 Vietnamese-Korean families that she described as cultural ambassadors and bridges of friendship between the two nations.

Listening attentively to personal stories, Ly acknowledged the difficulties many women face regarding language barriers, cultural differences, and a new life in the host country. She praised their resilience, integration efforts, and commitment to preserving Vietnamese traditions in daily life.

She commended their strong community spirit, mutual support, and contributions to host society, while maintaining close links with Việt Nam and building happy, stable families abroad.

Encouraging them to seek support when needed, Ly highlighted the resources available through the Vietnamese Embassy in Seoul, the Consulate General in Busan, and Vietnamese associations in the country. She reaffirmed the Party and State's commitment to overseas Vietnamese as an inseparable part of the nation, with special attention to the lives of women married abroad.

Many Vietnamese brides shared their determination to build a meaningful life and contribute positively to both Vietnamese and Korean communities.

They urged educational support, particularly access to Vietnamese language classes for their children, age-appropriate curricula, and resources for single mothers.

They also expressed hope for assistance in regaining Vietnamese citizenship and more opportunities for their families to join cultural exchange programmes in Việt Nam, helping younger generations maintain pride in their roots. — VNA/VNS