Chairman of Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Trần Thanh Mẫn and Speaker of the NA of the Republic of Korea Woo Won Shik sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday to enhance bilateral parliamentary cooperation. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Chairman of Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Trần Thanh Mẫn and Speaker of the NA of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Woo Won Shik signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday to enhance bilateral parliamentary cooperation.

The deal was inked following talks between the two leaders in Hà Nội.

The MoU was signed on the basis that the bilateral relationship has developed rapidly through active exchanges across multiple fields since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992.

The friendship and cooperation between the two countries has been further strengthened, particularly through the signing of previous MoUs on inter-parliamentary cooperation in 2006 and 2013, as well as through reciprocal visits by the leadership of the two National Assemblies.

The MoU reaffirms the shared goal of continuing to enhance cooperation in line with the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, established in December 2022 and further reinforced in the Joint Statement on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership issued in August 2025.

According to the MoU, the NAs of Việt Nam and the RoK agreed that strengthening exchanges and cooperation is a key factor contributing to consolidating friendship and deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

They also pledged to promote regular high-level visits by parliamentary leaders and reciprocal visits made by parliamentary delegations, including research trips, workshops and exchanges among departments under parliamentary committees.

National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn (right) welcomes Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Woo Won Shik to their talks on November 20. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

During the talks, NA Chairman Mẫn congratulated the RoK on the remarkable development achievements in recent years, particularly the successful organisation of the 2025 APEC Leaders’ Week in Gyeongju.

He also spoke highly of the RoK's efforts in promptly implementing development policies focused on inclusive growth and technological transformation to strengthen national power and advance the country into a new phase of development.

Speaker of the RoK’s NA Woo Won Shik emphasised the RoK continues to hold the top position in Việt Nam’s direct investment and rank third in trade with Việt Nam.

He said the two countries reached a milestone of five million mutual visits in 2024, adding that Việt Nam and the RoK share many cultural similarities, have become each other’s leading economic partners and maintain an inseparable relationship.

Both sides agreed to promote economic cooperation effectively in line with the common interests of both sides, aiming at bilateral trade turnover of US$150 billion by 2030.

Speaker Woo Won Shik expressed hope that Việt Nam will continue to create favourable conditions, provide support and remove obstacles so that RoK enterprises can invest with confidence in a stable and long-term manner in Việt Nam.

On the basis of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, both sides agreed to continue expanding cooperation in human resource training, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn and Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Woo Won Shik hold talks in Hà Nội on November 20. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

On this occasion, NA Chairman Mẫn expressed his gratitude and hoped that Speaker Woo Won Shik and the RoK's NA would continue to pay attention to and protect the legitimate rights and interests of the Vietnamese community in the RoK, including approximately 100,000 Vietnamese-Korean multicultural families, so that they can live, study and work in the RoK with confidence and long-term stability.

The two sides also vowed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation while enhancing the role of the friendship groups of the two countries’ parliaments as a bridge.

They also pledged to continue to reinforce coordination and mutual support in regional and global inter-parliamentary forums such as the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). — VNS

National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn and his spouse (right) had a private meeting with Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Woo Won Shik and his spouse, prior to official talks. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn