Prof. Dr. Lee Han-woo from Sogang University. Photo: VNA

A book on the 30 years of socio-economic cooperation between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) has been published by the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Vietnam-RoK diplomatic relations (1992-2022).

Trade between Vietnam and the RoK rose 150 times and is expected to hit US$100 billion in 2023.

It is a collection of research by Vietnamese and Korean professors and researchers including six Koreans and Vietnamese. The selection of research groups from both countries to have a multi-dimensional view of both Vietnam and the RoK. The authors are all economic and social experts and have worked at research institutes and universities in Vietnam and Korea.

In particular, the researchers on the Korean side are experts who have studied and monitored the situation in Vietnam for a long time. Prof. Dr. Lee Han-woo from Sogang University personally has been studying Vietnam for nearly 30 years. Previously, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between RoK and Vietnam, Prof. Dr. Lee and Prof. Bui The Cuong (Academy of Social Sciences and Humanities) jointly published a book titled "Vietnam - RoK: A quarter-century of shared development” in 2017.

Prof. Dr. Lee also published a research book on Vietnam's economic renovation 10 years ago. In addition, he has participated in many types of research and joint publications with other scholars, especially in theJournal of Southeast Asian Studies.

Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency, Prof. Dr. Lee noted that the book provides an insight into the socio-economic partnership between the two countries over the past 30 years and gives objective assessments on the design of a better future for the bilateral ties.

Pointing to bright signs in economic cooperation between Vietnam and the RoK over the past 30 years, Prof. Lee noted that two-way trade rose 150 times and is expected to hit US$100 billion in 2023.

Prof. Dr. Lee Han-woo has been studying Vietnam for nearly 30 years. Photo: VNA

The RoK's corporations and enterprises have significantly contributed to the development and economic growth of Vietnam in recent years. However, in the coming period, economic relations need to focus on the several issues.

Vietnam and the RoK should further reinforce the foundation for their win-win partnership by supporting businesses to strengthen partnership and balancing bilateral trade.

It is necessary to minimize the disagreements arising between the employees and the employers, he said. Maping out a plan to minimize the arising conflicts to ensure the sustainable development of the business. Regarding trade, although the trade deficit between Vietnam and the RoK is on the way to reducing, Vietnam has a deficit of US$30 billion, so it also needs to be overcome that in the near future.

In the field of socio-culture, he proposed that the two sides should work together to increase the people-to-people exchange, the promotion of Vietnamese culture, art and literature in the RoK. The local government of Korea is also very interested in human resource exchange with localities in Vietnam. Most recently, with Park Hang Seo as coach of the Vietnam national football team, the cooperation relationship between the two countries has been significantly promoted. Along with coach Park, a number of other sports coaches also help promote cooperation in this area.

In cultural exchanges, Korean popular culture has been strongly imported into Vietnam, but in the opposite direction, Vietnamese culture introduced to the Korean public is still very limited. While Korean films premiered in Vietnam a lot and there are many films with great influence, at the Busan International Film Festival, Vietnamese films appear very few.

According to Prof. Lee, the RoK's government is making efforts to support the promotion of Vietnamese culture in the RoK. For example, the Seoul National Museum and the Busan Museum every few years hold exhibitions on Vietnamese antiquities and ancient culture, through it to introduce the history and traditional culture of Vietnam. The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) also supports the organization of events to introduce Vietnamese fine arts.

Korean culinary class for Vietnamese brides. Photo: VNT

However, Vietnam's popular culture has not been introduced much to Koreans. Research data shows that in the field of literary works, Vietnamese works released in the RoK have about 30 categories, yet they remain little known to the readers. While the number of Korean works introduced to Vietnam is about 100. Just looking at this number, there is a huge difference, he stressed.

In the current trend of globalization and the developing world of technology, cultural exchanges need to be in a two-way, reciprocal and diversified direction while still maintaining national identity. To promote the RoK's culture, in 2006, the Korean government opened the Korean Cultural Center in Vietnam. Professor Lee said that the Vietnamese Government should study to soon open a Vietnamese Cultural Center in Korea.

The professor suggested that the two sides coordinate together to expand programs to introduce Vietnamese and Korean cultures to the other country through the Internet to strengthen mutual understanding.

Over the last 30 years, Korean enterprises have poured huge investments into Vietnam, which has created a large Korean community in Vietnam. In return, there are also many Vietnamese people in the RoK.

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