N.Korea wants to cooperate with Vietnam’s military-run telecom group

The delegations of North Korean high-ranking officials visit Viettel’s civil equipment research and production complex in Hanoi on February 28, 2019. Photo: Viettel

The high-ranking delegation visited a civil equipment research and production complex operated by Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group, located in the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park on Thursday afternoon, and were apparently impressed with what they saw.

The North Korean delegation to facility included Ri Su Yong, head of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK)’s International Affairs Department, Kim Pyong Hae, head of the WPK’s Cadres’ Affairs Department, and O Su Yong, head of the WPK’s Economic Affairs Department.

All three also serve as vice-chairmen of the WPK Central Committee.

The officials were hosted at the facility by Vietnam’s Colonel General Be Xuan Truong, Deputy Minister of Public Security, and Viettel leaders.

The visit was part of the officials’ trip to Vietnam for the second U.S.-North Korea Summit that ended on Thursday in Hanoi and Chairman Kim Jong Un’s official visit to Vietnam scheduled for March 1-2.

The delegations of North Korean high-ranking officials visit Viettel’s civil equipment research and production complex in Hanoi on February 28, 2019. Photo: Viettel

Also on Thursday, the North Korean officials visited Viettel’s global telecom center which oversees and operates the telecom and information technology system in Vietnam, as well as provides technical assistance for ten foreign telecom companies.

The group was also introduced to Viettel’s core telecom equipment system and several devices and solutions it has developed for the fishing industry.

According to vice-chairman Ri Su Yong, North Korea has heard about and been impressed by Viettel’s technology.

The country is interested in telecommunications products developed for supporting smart communities, Ri shared, adding that he hopes both sides can strike a deal to move forward with cooperative efforts in the field sometime in the near future.

The North Korean delegation later went on to visit the Dan Hoai Cooperative’s orchid planting model in Dan Phuong District, Hanoi.

On the morning of the same day, they paid a trip to the Vietnam Agriculture Science Institute in the capital, as well as the northern province of Hai Duong.

VNF ( TTO )