Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Gen. Tô Lâm (third left) and the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon (fourth left) and the delegation pose for group photo. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Hùng

SEOUL — Minister of Public Security General Tô Lâm met the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon and had talks with Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) Min Gap-ryong in Seoul on Monday.

Welcoming the Vietnamese delegation’s visit, PM Lee Nak-yeon expressed delight at fruitful co-operation between his country’s law enforcement agencies, including the KNPA and the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security (MoPS).

He voiced his hope that the two sides will continue enhancing co-operation, especially in fighting transnational crimes, drug crime and terrorism; work together to ensure the security, safety, rights and interests of Vietnamese and Korean citizens; and help improve the capacity of staff at Việt Nam’s law enforcement bodies.

For his part, Minister Lâm said Việt Nam treasures the two countries’ partnership, asking the RoK to continue sharing experience and promoting co-operation in all fields.

The co-operation in ensuring security and order between the MoPS and the RoK’s law enforcement agencies has gained positive outcomes, helping ensure peace and happiness for people. 

Regular delegation exchanges and bilateral meetings have been maintained, including the diplomatic – security – defence strategy dialogue, the security dialogue and the police co-operation conference at the deputy ministerial level. The MoPS inked a co-operation deal with the KNPA and a memorandum of understanding in transnational crime fighting with the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office of the RoK, he noted.

He added that traditional and non-traditional security issues, including terrorism, cyber crime, transnational crimes and migration, are likely to become complicated and threaten security, requiring law enforcement forces of both countries to strengthen co-ordination.

Given this, Lâm asked leaders of the RoK’s government to help the countries’ law enforcement agencies work together.

Also on Monday, Minister Lâm and KNPA Commissioner General Min Gap-ryong held talks.

At the event, they noted the flourishing ties between Việt Nam and the RoK, adding that the MoPS and the KNPA set up an official relationship in 2004 and signed a co-operation deal in 2005 to better fight crime and ensure the rights of Koreans in Việt Nam and Vietnamese in the RoK.

The officials said that to enhance bilateral co-operation, the two sides need to build concrete plans to increase collaboration in drug crime combat, information and experience sharing, delegation exchange and training. 

They should also keep working together to investigate cases involving hi-tech crime; train officers in combating hi-tech, drug and human trafficking crimes; and ensure security and safety for citizens of each other’s countries, according to the two officials. 

RoK announces visa change policy

The Republic of Korea (RoK) has decided to restrict five-year visas to only permanent residents in Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng and HCM City, instead of both permanent and temporary residents.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said on Monday that it had received the RoK Foreign Ministry’s notification of the change in policy.

The RoK side said since it began granting five-year visas for Vietnamese citizens, the RoK Embassy in the country has given more than 16,000 visas to Vietnamese nationals who have permanent and temporary residence in Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng and HCM City. At first, it granted five-year visas to only those with permanent residence in the three cities.

However, a growing number of Vietnamese with temporary residence in other localities have taken advantage of this policy to apply visas to the RoK. Therefore, the RoK has decided to revert to an earlier policy, which allows five-year visas to only Vietnamese citizens with permanent residential status in the cities, according to the RoK ministry.

This policy change has been applied since June 10. — VNS