Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have reached consensus to further deepen their strategic partnership.
 |
|
PM Nguyen Tan Dung (L) and RoK President Lee Myung-bak, Seoul, March 28, 2012 – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
|
PM Nguyen Tan Dung and RoK President Lee Myung-bak made the agreement on March 28 during their talks, which forms part of the former’s official visit to the East Asian country after attending the 2nd Nuclear Security Summit there.
President Lee Myung-bak warmly welcomed the visit of PM Dung especially when the two countries are celebrating the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2012.
The two leaders expressed their pleasure and satisfaction at the developments in the two countries’ ties and exchanged views on key orientations to beef up the strategic partnership.
The two sides agreed to maintain reciprocal high-level visits to consolidate and enhance mutual trust; boost diplomatic, security and defense dialogues and organize the Vietnam-RoK Friendship Year 2012.
They approved of closer linkages in economics, trade and investment as well as efforts to gradually reduce Vietnam’s trade deficit with the RoK.
Both sides also agreed to early finalize necessary procedures to kick off negotiations for a free trade agreement.
The RoK President said his country continues to regard Vietnam as one of its leading partners in development and investment cooperation, especially through projects on the express railway linking Ho Chi Minh and Can Tho Cities, construction of a technology incubator in Can Tho City and the North-South highway.
Regarding labor and vocational training, the two sides would collaborate in assisting immigrants, particularly Vietnamese girls who get married to Korean men.
They agreed to closely work with each other at international forms.
 |
|
PM Nguyen Tan Dung (L) and RoK President Lee Myung-bak witness the signing ceremonies between Vietnam and the RoK, Seoul, March 28, 2012 – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
|
After the talks, PM Dung and President Lee Myung-bak witnessed the signing of some documents including the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on development cooperation in finance between the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance and the RoK Ministry of Strategy and Finance; the MoU on construction of technology incubator; an agreement on nuclear energy development for peaceful purposes between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the KoK National Intelligence Service.
The same day, PM Dung received some leaders of Korean businesses./.