Vietnam’s National Assembly President, Trần Thanh Mẫn, recently held a meeting with the Korea–Vietnam Friendship Association delegation, headed by Chairman Lee Shin-jae, to discuss enhancing the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and South Korea. The discussions took place in Hanoi, focusing on strengthening cultural, educational, and humanitarian exchanges to deepen mutual understanding between the two nations.
Mẫn expressed gratitude for the association’s role in fostering friendship and cooperation, emphasizing the significant contributions of South Korea in sectors such as trade, investment, science and technology, tourism, and education. South Korea is a leading foreign investor in Vietnam, with over $100 billion in registered investments, and bilateral trade reaching $80–90 billion annually. Additionally, Vietnam welcomed more than three million South Korean tourists in the first nine months of the year, underscoring the importance of tourism in their relationship.
The National Assembly President praised the Korea–Vietnam Friendship Association’s initiatives, which include providing scholarships for Vietnamese students, building schools, organizing cultural programs, and offering humanitarian aid to disaster-affected communities. Mẫn urged for increased trade and investment promotion, enhanced business connectivity, and greater cooperation in advanced technologies, innovation, and the semiconductor industry.
Chairman Lee Shin-jae reaffirmed the association’s dedication to strengthening ties beyond government relations. He stressed the importance of cultural programs, educational initiatives, and community exchanges, and expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Vietnamese organizations and businesses, particularly in emerging sectors like artificial intelligence and technology transfer.
Both parties underscored the need to enhance tourism, educational opportunities, and cultural exchanges while supporting their communities living and working in each country. The meeting also highlighted the significance of reinforcing parliamentary cooperation, with Vietnam’s National Assembly committed to maintaining close engagement with South Korea’s legislature through knowledge exchanges in lawmaking and parliamentary oversight.