Party chief Tô Lâm departed from Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội early October 9 morning. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Central Committee Tô Lâm and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation left Hà Nội for Pyongyang early Thursday for a three-day state visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

During the visit, made at the invitation of General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and President of the State Affairs of the DPRK Kim Jong Un, he will attend the celebration of the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK.

Joining the delegation are Politburo members Lê Minh Hưng, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of its Organisation Commission; Phan Đình Trạc, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of its Commission for Internal Affairs; Nguyễn Duy Ngọc, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of its Inspection Commission; Đỗ Văn Chiến, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee; Nguyễn Xuân Thắng, Politburo member, President of the Hồ Chí Minh National Academy of Politics and Chairman of the Central Theory Council; General Phan Văn Giang, Politburo member and Minister of National Defence; and General Lương Tam Quang, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security.

The Party chief's entourage also comprises Lê Hoài Trung, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs; Nguyễn Chí Dũng, member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister; Nguyễn Khắc Định, member of the Party Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the National Assembly; Phạm Gia Túc, member of the Party Central Committee and head of the Party Central Committee’s Office; Trần Đức Thắng, member of the Party Central Committee and Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment; Tô Ân Xô, Assistant to the Party General Secretary and head of the Party General Secretary’s Office; and Lê Bá Vinh, Ambassador of Việt Nam to the DPRK.

Seventy-five years ago, on January 31, 1950, the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam (now the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam) and the DPRK officially established diplomatic relations.

Since then, their traditional friendship has been consistently cherished, reinforced and developed by their Parties, States, and peoples. Both sides have maintained mutual support and cooperation in their respective struggles for national liberation and socialism construction.

General Secretary Tô Lâm’s state visit to the DPRK holds particular significance as it marks the first of its kind by a CPV General Secretary to the DPRK in 18 years.

Taking place as the two countries celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations (1950–2025) and the Việt Nam–DPRK Friendship Year 2025, the visit demonstrates the high regard both Parties and States attach to the two countries' traditional friendship. — VNA/VNS