A symposium was held in Hanoi on July 8 to discuss deepening the strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK).

Co-hosted by the Foreign Ministry’s Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV), the RoK Embassy in Vietnam, and the Korea Foundation, the symposium took place at a time when the two countries are expanding ties in various regards, in particular trade-investment, culture, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and coordination at multilateral forums. 

Amid complicated and uncertain developments in the region and the world, both countries are looking to further strengthen the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership, contributing to security and prosperity in the region. 

In his opening address, DAV Director Nguyen Vu Tung said Vietnam considers the RoK a leading partner in various fields while the RoK also views Vietnam as a major partner in its New Southern Policy. 

Apart from economic, political, and security ties, people-to-people exchanges are also a bright spot, he said. He also called on participants to offer practical policy recommendations to boost bilateral ties in the new period. 

RoK Ambassador to Vietnam Park Noh-wan, for his part, suggested further reinforcing bilateral links, with a focus on supporting businesses, normalising people-to-people exchanges, and coping with COVID-19. 

Via three sessions, delegates reviewed achievements in bilateral ties over the last 28 years, discussed opportunities and challenges to the bilateral relationship amid new developments in the region and the world, and economic development trends amid the pandemic. 

They also offered policy recommendations to enhance coordination of viewpoints and actions at multilateral mechanisms in the near future.