The Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Korea yesterday affirmed that the country cherishes its relations with Việt Nam and wants to advance ties further.. — Photo Yonhap |
SEOUL — The Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Korea yesterday affirmed that the country cherishes its relations with Việt Nam and wants to advance ties further.
The statement was made one day after the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry requested the RoK Government not to take any action or make any comments that hurt the feelings of Vietnamese people or have a negative influence on the two countries’ friendly ties.
The statement was made in response to a speech by President Moon Jae-in on June 6 in which he honoured Korean war veterans who fought in foreign countries, including Việt Nam in the 1960-1975 period, describing them as “contributors” to RoK’s economic growth.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, the RoK Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Cho June-hyuck said, “We cherish our relations with Việt Nam very much.”
He said since 1992, when the two countries established diplomatic ties, the RoK has continued to work to advance relations with a shared belief that the two sides should set aside the past and look forward to the future.
Cho noted that President Moon’s comments were intended as a reminder of the need to provide "appropriate" support for those who sacrificed their lives on the orders of the country.
On June 12, the spokeswoman from the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry said "Việt Nam wants to develop friendly ties with all nations, including the RoK".— VNS