Korea-Vietnam Summit and state dinner hosted by Vo Van Thuong

President Yoon Suk-yeol holds the Korea-Vietnam Summit with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on June 23. 

"I am very pleased to be visiting Vietnam as my first ASEAN bilateral visitor," Yoon said, after greeting in Vietnamese as "xin chao" (hello) to kick off the expanded talks.

Yoon said “Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, bilateral trade has increased 175 times, South Korea has become Vietnam's largest investor, and the 170,000 compatriots in Vietnam and 230,000 Vietnamese nationals in South Korea are a strong bridge between our two countries. Our two countries have been friends for 30 years, and we look forward to the next 30 years of mutually valuable relations."

Yoon said “Amidst the tense international situation and global complexity, bilateral cooperation is more important than ever. We look forward to discussing concrete and practical ways to cooperate with Vietnam for a free, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region."

Yoon said “We discussed ways to further deepen our cooperation and contribute to freedom, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region in line with our elevated bilateral relationship. Based on these discussions, today we adopted the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and decided to further develop our relationship."

The summit lasted about 1 hour and 35 minutes, with a formal welcome ceremony, a small group meeting, and an expanded meeting.

President Yoon and First Lady Kim attended a state dinner hosted by the President and First Lady of Vietnam at the International Convention Center on Friday evening.

Looking at the photo exhibition "30 Years of Development of Korea-Vietnam Relations" on display in front of the banquet hall, the Yoon couple praised the friendship and partnership between the two countries, which has developed to an exemplary level.

Yoon said “It is imperative that Korea and Vietnam do not rest on their laurels and work tirelessly to take their bilateral relationship to a higher level. For 10 years, we must plant trees; for 100 years, we must nurture people," said former President Ho Chi Minh. Let's continue to increase our investment and support for the future generation so that the people of both countries can enjoy a new 100 years of prosperity, and the youth of both countries can become the protagonists of a brighter future."

Yoon shared his father's experience of admitting Vietnamese students to Yonsei in 1993, emphasizing that mutual people-to-people exchanges and investment in education have contributed significantly to the development of bilateral relations.

Thuong said “There is a Korean proverb that says a thousand miles begin with a single step. President Yoon's visit to Vietnam will be the first step in an important journey for our two countries as good friends, good partners, and good brothers-in-law, and Vietnam is ready to work closely with Korea."

At the dinner, which was attended by more than 100 delegates and business leaders from both countries, Yoon and Thuong went around the table introducing entrepreneurs from their respective countries to their counterparts. During the dinner, it was announced that it was Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong's birthday, which led to a surprise birthday celebration.

The dinner began with a performance by the Vietnamese Taego Orchestra, followed by a traditional Vietnamese hat performance and a Korean fan dance, and finally the Arirang Chorus, where the Yoon and Thoung couples joined together on stage to conclude a time of trust and friendship that lasted over two hours.

 

President Yoon visited "Korea-Vietnam Partnership Fair" and "Trade Consultation Meeting" to encourage 9 large companies such as Hyundai Motor Company and LG, and 100 small and medium-sized enterprises such as Ruhee and Inno Tech Media

On Thursday, June 22, President Yoon visited the Korea-Vietnam Partnership Fair, which was held on the occasion of his state visit to Vietnam. The fair featured the "K-Industry Showcase," which showcased products from Korean companies; the "Trade Consultation," which matched Korean companies interested in expanding into Vietnam with Vietnamese buyers; the "Young Tech Startup Grand Challenge," which identified outstanding startups from the ASEAN region that want to start a business in Korea; and the "K-Food Festival," which promoted Korean food and Korean-Vietnamese fusion food.

Yoon toured the "K-Industry Showcase," which featured nine large companies familiar to Vietnamese people and five small and medium-sized companies challenging the local market, and tried out products and services from Hyundai IONIQ5, Hanwha Nuriho launch demonstration, LG Omnipod (internal electronics system for autonomous vehicles), and Okayse platform (online trading of used motorcycles in Vietnam) with Vietnamese visitors.

Yoon stopped by the Trade Fair, which was attended by more than 100 Korean small and medium-sized enterprises and 200 Vietnamese companies, to encourage businesses from both countries to create a growing future with new trade opportunities. Korean companies from the food, cosmetics, apparel, new technology, smart farms, and edtech sectors, including Ruhee and Innotech Media, participated in the event and held discussions with Vietnamese buyers.

Yoon visited the "Young Tech Startup Grand Challenge" to support the dreams and challenges of young people from Vietnam and ASEAN, which aims to discover outstanding startup ideas from young people and help them realize their dreams in Korea. He encouraged the Vietnamese and ASEAN young entrepreneurs who participated in the event, saying that the younger generation is more specialized in innovation through international solidarity.

Lastly, Yoon visited the "K-Food Festival" and tasted "Kimchi Banh Mi," a typical Vietnamese dish with fried kimchi, with Vietnamese youth. He also chatted with Vietnamese youth who were enjoying Korean food such as tteokbokki and asked them to love K-Food even more.

In order to translate the trade dynamism between the two countries' businesses identified at the Korea-Vietnam Partnership Fair into concrete results and create more vibrant exchanges between future generations, the Korean government will continue to actively support Korean businesses in close coordination with the Vietnamese government.

백종원 기자  bridgekorea@naver.com