Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Deputy Minister of National Defence of Vietnam, at the 10th Vietnam - RoK defence policy dialogue in Seoul on September 5. (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) agreed to increase defence cooperation during their high-level defence policy dialogue held in Seoul on September 5.

The dialogue, the 10th of its kind, was co-chaired by RoK Deputy Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul and his Vietnamese counterpart, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien.

They agreed that both sides should increase high-level visit exchanges, step up cooperation in overcoming post-war consequences, and participate in UN peacekeeping activities, along with cooperation in maritime security, education and training among others.

They consented to strengthen coordination, consultation, mutual support and participation in multilateral activities organized by each side.

The RoK thanked Vietnam, as the coordinator of the ASEAN-RoK relations, for further promoting the ASEAN-RoK Strategic Partnership, including the hosting of the first informal meeting between defense ministers of ASEAN and the RoK in 2021.

The Vietnamese side informed the RoK side on its plan to hold the first international defense expo in early December 2022 and wished to receive the support and participation of RoK defence officials and defence businesses.

The two sides exchanged views on maritime and aviation security issues and emerging non-traditional security challenges.

They emphasized that maintaining a peaceful, stable, secure and safe environment for navigation and overflight in the East Sea is important to all countries in the world.

They voiced both countries’ strong support for settling disagreements and disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).