South Korean leader Lee Jae Myung and his spouse arrived at Nội Bài International Airport on April 21 afternoon. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Republic of Korea (RoK)'s President Lee Jae Myung and his spouse Kim Hae Kyung arrived in Hà Nội on Tuesday afternoon, beginning a State visit to Việt Nam from April 21–24 at the invitation of Party General Secretary Tô Lâm and his spouse Ngô Phương Ly.

The delegation was welcomed at Nội Bài International Airport by Lê Khánh Hải, Chairman of the Presidential Office; Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Minh Vũ; Chairman of the Hà Nội People’s Committee Vũ Đại Thắng; and Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Vũ Hồ.

President Lee's accompanying delegation included Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science, ICT Bae Kyung Hoon; Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun; Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Kim Jung Kwan, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yun Duk; National Security Adviser to Cheong Wa Dae Wi Sung Lac; Chief Presidential Secretary for Policy Kim Yong Beom; RoK Ambassador to Việt Nam Choi Young Sam; Senior Presidential Secretary for Public Relations and Communications Lee Kyu Youn; Senior Presidential Secretary for AI and Future Planning Ha Jung Woo; Presidential Secretary for Foreign Policy Choi Hee Deok; and Climate and Environment Ambassador Kang Kum Sil.

The visit is expected to become a special milestone in the 34-year history of diplomatic relations between the two countries, marking the starting point for a strategic leap forward in bilateral ties amid evolving global dynamics, according to RoK Ambassador to Việt Nam Choi Young Sam.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Vũ Hồ described the visit as not only politically and diplomatically significant but also instrumental in aligning visions between the two sides in the new period, helping shape a long-term cooperation framework. “The spirit of the new phase can be summarised as higher trust, deeper cooperation and stronger connectivity."

President Lee is the first head of state to pay a state visit to Việt Nam following the country’s completion of the consolidation of its top leadership in early April 2026, promising bright prospects for the Việt Nam–RoK relations and providing a strong and solid impetus for their long-term development based on durable trust between the two sides' high-ranking leaders.

Vietnamese hosts greeted Republic of Korea (RoK)'s President Lee Jae Myung and his spouse Kim Hae Kyung at Nội Bài International Airport. — VNA/VNS Photo

President Lee, born on December 22, 1964, holds a law degree from Chung-Ang University. He passed the national bar exam in 1986 and completed training at the Judicial Research and Training Institute in 1989, the same year he began practising as a lawyer.

He was involved in civic and labour advocacy early in his career, serving as Director of the Incheon Labour Counselling Centre and the Gwangju Labour Counselling Centre from 1990 to 1994. From 1994 to 2005, he held leadership roles in Seongnam-based civic organisations, including as Executive Director of the Seongnam Citizens’ Coalition and head of its anti-corruption reporting centre.

Lee served as Mayor of Seongnam from 2010 to 2018, followed by a term as Governor of Gyeonggi Province from 2018 to 2021. He was elected to the National Assembly for the 21st and 22nd terms (representing Gyeyang-eul, Incheon) from 2022 to 2025, and led the Democratic Party during the same period. He has served as President of the Republic of Korea since 2025. — VNA/VNS