Vietnam - Key Partner in RoK’s New Southern Policy: President Moon Jae-in

The Republic of Korean (RoK) always considers Vietnam a key partner in its New Southern Policy, RoK President Moon Jae-in affirmed on February 9.

Rosy Huong

huongthhd@gmail.com February 10, 2022 | 08:19

RoK President Moon Jae-in and visiting Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (L). Photo: The Blue House

The President made the affirmation while receiving Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, who is paying an official visit to the country from February 9 to 11 at the invitation of his RoK counterpart Chung Eui-yong.

While in the RoK, Son is scheduled to attend a meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP).

President Moon expressed his hope that the two nations will soon elevate their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and recommended the sides increase their collaboration regarding regional and international issues of common interest, VietnamPlus reported.

He also requested that Vietnam further facilitate RoK firms' operation in the country, particularly those investing in infrastructure, finance, and large-scale projects.

Appreciating Vietnam’s coordinating role for the ASEAN-RoK relations during 2021-2024, the President said the Vietnamese FM's current visit to the RoK will contribute to developing his nation’s ties with Vietnam and ASEAN in the time to come.

For his part, Son affirmed Vietnam highly values and wants to foster its relations with the RoK, particularly in organising activities in celebration of the 30th founding anniversary of their bilateral diplomatic relationship and in lifting the ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership this year.

Vietnam - Key Partner in RoK’s New Southern Policy: President Moon Jae-in

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. Photo: VOV

He suggested the sides maintain regular high-level exchanges and interactions, create a favourable political environment and effectively implement mechanism for cooperation expansion, especially in economy, trade, investment, and post-pandemic recovery.

The diplomat highlighted the goal of raising bilateral trade to 100 billion USD in 2023 and the need to enhance bilateral collaboration in culture, education tourism, labour, people-to-people exchange, and citizen protection.

It is also necessary to maintain the bilateral cooperation at multilateral forums, he added.

He stressed Vietnam will fulfill its role of coordinator for ASEAN-RoK relations for 2021 – 2024 to achieve more practical and effective progress in the ties.

The Vietnamese minister hoped that the two nations will continue to coordinate and affirm their stance on maintaining peace, stability and legal order at sea, respecting the freedom of navigation and overflight and settling the South China Sea (Bien Dong Sea) disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The sides should continue to support the building of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the UNCLOS, Son noted.

This is the first visit to the RoK by a Vietnamese foreign minister over the past five years, and also the first by Son after his appointment to the position. The visit opens up activities marking the 30th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (1992-2022).

Last year, the RoK was Vietnam’s second largest investor with total capital reaching $7.4 billion, a rise of 85% from 2020. The RoK continued to be Vietnam’s second biggest development assistance supplier with a commitment of $1.5 billion in 2016-2020.

The Government and people of the RoK presented more than 1.4 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Vietnam. Meanwhile, businesses and friendship organisations of the RoK contributed over $20 million to Vietnam’s Covid-19 vaccine fund.

The two countries are striving to raise the bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2023 and $150 billion by 2030.

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Rosy Huong