HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc asked media outlets in Việt Nam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) to promote both countries while meeting Lee Hyo-seong, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

PM Phúc noted that Việt Nam and the RoK shared many similarities in culture and history, which were important for connections between the two peoples and a building block for both sides to promote a bilateral partnership, including in information and communications.

The PM said that Vietnamese TV channels devoted a lot of airtime to RoK films, which had familiarised the Vietnamese people with the Korean culture and lifestyle.

The Vietnamese Government valued the signing of a co-operation agreement on TV programme production between the KCC and Việt Nam’s Ministry of Information and Communications, he said, expressing his hope that the two sides would work closely to realise the deal, thus promoting understanding and friendship between the people of both countries.

The Vietnamese Government and people would work hard to develop bilateral ties, especially through the strengthening of co-operation in broadcasting, he said. The Government leader asked  the RoK delegation to support the airing of Vietnamese radio and TV programmes to introduce the culture, nation and people of Vietnam through its media outlets.

For his part, Lee Hyo-seong noted that the number of Korean tourists visiting Việt Nam had surged over the past few years. He also conveyed his delight at the development of Vietnamese football under the supervision of RoK national Park Hang-seo. Thanks to a strong sporting bond, mutual understanding between people of the two countries had improved significantly, he stated.

The increase in the number of Korean investors in Việt Nam reflected the growing partnership between the two countries, and Lee pledged to work harder for stronger communication, especially in broadcasting, to contribute to the development of the strategic partnership.

The Vietnamese Government leader said that he hoped Việt Nam would witness a new wave of investment from the RoK across all fields, and that it was committed to creating optimal conditions for Korean firms in Việt Nam.

The leader said the Vietnamese communications sector, especially broadcasting agencies, would work closely with the RoK media in the future. He suggested the two sides set up a joint working group to build plans to ensure the efficiency of their agreement.

Lee said that he hoped a Vietnamese TV channel would be launched in the RoK soon. He also lauded Việt Nam’s contributions to the success of the second DPRK-US summit in Hanoi in late February. — VNS