President Lee Jaemyung stated in an interview with local Vietnamese media, "There is a growing need for cooperation from the perspective of peace on the Korean Peninsula." He also announced his goal to achieve $150 billion in bilateral trade between the two countries by 2030 through cooperation with Vietnam.
"Vietnam is an indispensable partner in inter-Korean reconciliation"
In a written interview with the Vietnamese state news agency VNA on the 7th, President Lee was asked about the significance of General Secretary To Lam's visit to Korea. He responded, "Even on the international diplomatic stage, our two countries are comprehensive partners moving forward into the future together," and made these remarks.
President Lee's interview with local Vietnamese media took place ahead of General Secretary To Lam's upcoming state visit on August 10. General Secretary To Lam's visit was made at the invitation of President Lee. He will stay in Korea for three days and will hold a summit and a dinner with President Lee on August 11.
President Lee explained, "As peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula are no longer issues limited to the peninsula alone, Vietnam is an indispensable and important partner in the process of transforming inter-Korean relations into one of reconciliation and cooperation." He added, "I hope we can work together for world peace and stability."
President Lee also emphasized, "General Secretary To Lam's visit is the first official event and state visit hosted by the People’s Sovereignty Government. It is clear evidence that the Republic of Korea places great importance on Korea-Vietnam relations and is strongly committed to developing the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries in a future-oriented manner."
When asked about policy priorities: "Achieving $150 billion in trade by 2030"
When asked about the priorities of Korea’s policy toward Vietnam, President Lee cited "economic partnership." He said, "Given the increasing uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment, it cannot be overemphasized that we must further expand and develop economic cooperation between our two countries." He pledged, "We will work together to achieve our shared goal of reaching $150 billion in bilateral trade by 2030."
President Lee also referred to General Secretary To Lam's goal of "joining the ranks of upper-middle-income countries by 2030," stating, "I expect that Korea can become a trustworthy partner and that we can make great strides together." He further suggested, "Infrastructure sectors such as nuclear power and high-speed rail, as well as advanced science and technology industries, will play a pivotal role in realizing Vietnam’s national vision."
In particular, when answering a question about people-to-people exchanges, President Lee asked, "Have you heard the phrase 'Gyeonggi-do Danang'?" Danang is a representative resort city in Vietnam, and the nickname has arisen because it is a popular destination for Koreans.
President Lee said, "Recently, during a Cabinet meeting, I instructed that incentives should be provided to Vietnamese workers." He promised, "We will continue to seek ways to ensure that more Vietnamese workers can work healthily and safely in Korea."
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