The 11th Vietnam-Republic of Korea (RoK) defense policy dialogue. Photo: VGP

The 11th Vietnam-Republic of Korea (RoK) defense policy dialogue took place in Hanoi on April 23, reviewing the results of the countries' cooperation in the field, discussing matters of shared concerns, and agreeing on orientations for joint work in the time to come.

Deputy Minister of National Defense Hoang Xuan Chien and his RoK counterpart Kim Seon Ho co-chaired the event.

Developing new areas of cooperation

At the dialogue, Hoang Xuan Chien said that since Vietnam and South Korea upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership (December 2022), relations between the two countries are constantly being strengthened and developed in many fields, including defense cooperation.

He noted that with support from their leaders, the countries’ defense cooperation reaped practical outcomes regarding delegation exchanges, education training, dialogue and consultation mechanisms, defense industry, military trade, war aftermath alleviation, cybersecurity, military medicine, and UN peacekeeping. The sides have also consulted and backed each other at related multilateral forums and mechanisms, particularly ASEAN-led mechanisms.

Chien appreciated the support of the RoK Government and people through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in overcoming the consequences of landmines and bombs after the war in Vietnam.

He thanked the RoK Government for providing US$20 million in non-refundable aid to help successfully complete the cooperation project to overcome post-war bomb and mine consequences in the 2018-2021 period in Binh Dinh and Quang Binh provinces, US$14 million to implement the mine action for the RoK-Vietnam Peace Village project for the period 2024-2026.

Regarding the direction of cooperation in the coming time, Deputy Minister of National Defense Hoang Xuan Chien proposed that the two sides continue to make efforts to promote cooperation, focusing on the areas of exchanging delegations at all levels, education-training, dialogue, consultation, and exchange mechanisms.

The two sides overcome the consequences of war, consult and support each other in multilateral forums and mechanisms, especially those led by ASEAN.

He also affirmed that the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense is ready to receive high-ranking RoK officers to Vietnam to attend senior training courses at the National Defense Academy, and Vietnamese language courses at the Military Science Academy.

Deputy Minister of National Defense Hoang Xuan Chien (fifth from right) shakes hands with his RoK counterpart Kim Seon Ho at the 11th Vietnam-Republic of Korea (RoK). Photo: VNA

RoK Deputy Minister of National Defense Kim Seon Ho said that this dialogue is a good opportunity for the two sides to review the results of bilateral defense cooperation in recent times, and exchange directions for cooperation in the future.

He also affirmed that Korea wants to expand defense cooperation with Vietnam, and suggested that the two sides maintain existing areas of cooperation, while developing new areas of cooperation on the basis of the friendly relationship between the two countries.

At the dialogue, the two sides discussed world and regional situations of mutual concern.

Regarding the East Sea issue, Chien emphasized that Vietnam remains steadfast in resolving all disputes through peaceful means, based on international law and commitments in the region, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the ASEAN six-point principles on the East Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the waters (DOC), and the promotion of substantive and effective negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

On the situation on the Korean Peninsula, he said Vietnam maintains its stance against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and supports the denuclearisation of the area, and the resolution of issues through peaceful dialogue.

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