Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm (left) and RoK President Lee Jae Myung reviewed the guard of honour of the Việt Nam People's Army on April 22. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam and State President Tô Lâm and his spouse Ngô Phương Ly presided over an official welcome ceremony in Hà Nội on Wednesday for President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Lee Jae Myung and his spouse Kim Hae Kyung, who are on a state visit to Việt Nam.

The ceremony took place at the Presidential Palace with the attendance of senior officials from central agencies, ministries, and Hà Nội authorities.

The firing of the 21-gun salute at the Thăng Long Imperial Citadel. — VNA/VNS Photo

The ceremony featured the national anthems of both countries and a 21-gun salute fired from the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long. The two leaders then reviewed the honour guard of the Việt Nam People’s Army and introduced members of their respective high-level delegations.

Following the welcome ceremony, the two leaders held talks, witnessed the signing of cooperation documents, and met with the press.

Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm and his spouse Ngô Phương Ly )(right) and President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae Myung and his spouse Kim Hae Kyung in the commemorative photo following the official welcome ceremony on April 22. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

Việt Nam and the RoK established diplomatic relations on December 22, 1992. Over more than three decades, bilateral ties have developed into a model partnership globally. Since the upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in December 2022, the two countries’ political trust has continued to be strengthened, with close coordination maintained across Party, Government, and National Assembly channels, alongside frequent high-level exchanges.

Economic and trade cooperation remains a key pillar of the relationship. The RoK is currently Việt Nam's largest foreign investor, second-largest source of tourists and second biggest provider of ODA, and its third-largest trading partner and labour export market.

Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm and his spouse Ngô Phương Ly and President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae Myung and his spouse Kim Hae Kyung with the school students of Hà Nội at the welcome ceremony. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

The state visit by President Lee Jae Myung from April 21 to 24 takes place at a time when Việt Nam–RoK relations are at their strongest ever, and is expected to open up a new phase of development with long-term strategic orientations for bilateral cooperation. — VNA/VNS

Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm and his spouse welcomed President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Lee Jae Myung and his spouse. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm and RoK President Lee Jae Myung listened to the national anthems of the two countries on the podium of honour. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Lee Jae Myung greeted the Vietnamese delegation. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất