Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng received Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Việt Nam Ri Sung Guk on May 20. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng on Wednesday hosted a reception for Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Việt Nam Ri Sung Guk.

PM Hưng congratulated the DPRK on the successful organisation of the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly. He expressed his confidence that under the leadership of the WPK headed by General Secretary and President of State Affairs Kim Jong Un, the DPRK Government and people will successfully fulfil the strategic goals set forth at the 9th Congress.

The PM conveyed his regards to Premier of the Cabinet Pak Thae Song and other DPRK leaders, while appreciating the efforts made by Ambassador Ri and the DPRK Embassy staff in promoting the traditional friendship between Việt Nam and the DPRK, particularly their coordination in arranging the state visit to the DPRK by Party General Secretary Tô Lâm in October 2025, as well as the recent visit to the DPRK by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung, special envoy of Party General Secretary and State President Lâm.

For his part, Ri briefed the PM on notable socio-economic achievements the DPRK has recorded and positive progress in bilateral relations. He reaffirmed the consistent stance of the Party, State and people of the DPRK in expanding bilateral ties across all fields in line with the shared orientations and aspirations of the two peoples, in accordance with the spirit of the agreements reached during the October 2025 visit to the DPRK by General Secretary Lâm.

The diplomat expressed his confidence that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Việt Nam headed by General Secretary and President Lâm, the Vietnamese people will successfully realise the goals set at the 14th National Party Congress and turn Việt Nam into a developed country.

PM Hưng affirmed that the Party, State and people of Việt Nam always attach importance to and wish to continuously nurture and promote the Việt Nam–DPRK relationship in a more substantive and effective manner in the new development era, in line with the common aspirations of the two peoples and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

He proposed that the two sides closely coordinate to effectively implement shared perceptions and agreements reached during visits by leaders of the two countries, with priority given to consolidating political trust through promoting exchanges and visits at all levels; maintaining the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms, including the Intergovernmental Committee on Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation; and stepping up cooperation in agriculture, culture, sports, tourism, education, healthcare and people-to-people exchanges. He also called for stronger coordination and mutual support at regional and international forums of mutual concern.

Agreeing with the important orientations and directives of PM Hưng, Ri affirmed that he will make utmost effort to contribute to the development of the traditional friendship between Việt Nam and the DPRK, and expressed his hope that the PM will continue to support and facilitate the operation of the DPRK Embassy in Việt Nam. — VNA/VNS