Yoon eyes security ties in Vietnam for state visit

Viet · Jun 22, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol (second from right) and first lady Kim Keon Hee disembark Air Force One at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam for a state visit Thursday. (Yonhap)

HANOI, Vietnam -- President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam for a three-day state visit, as South Korea seeks to strengthen cooperation with the Southeast Asian country in the field of regional security and industrial technology.

Yoon is scheduled to meet Vietnamese counterpart President Vo Van Thuong on Friday for a summit. This will be their first meeting since Thuong took office in March. Thuong's predecessor Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited Seoul in December 2022 to upgrade their relations to the level of a "comprehensive strategic partnership.”

Calling the bilateral relationship "an exemplary, mutually beneficial partnership on all fronts," Yoon said in an earlier media interview with Vietnam News Agency that he intends for rules-based order to "take firm root in the Indo-Pacific region" during his visit to Hanoi.

"Korea will continue to cooperate with Vietnam in maritime security," Yoon was quoted as saying in a written interview.
"Moreover, I hope that cooperation in the defense industry will be further expanded based on the Korea’s technological prowess which has a proven track record in the global market."

President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife arrive at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, June 22, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

Yoon is accompanied by some 200 entrepreneurs representing Korea's business circles, including Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun.

Yoon said the area of focus in bilateral cooperation has already been vast, including critical minerals supply chains, energy, digital transformation, smart cities and climate change responses.

At this juncture, his state visit could help the countries explore chances to expand "the extent of our primarily manufacturing-focused bilateral cooperation" into a number of sectors including finance, retail industry, information technology and cultural content.

"(The bilateral cooperation) should also aim for a horizontal division of labor, playing off each other’s strengths," Yoon said.

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, Yoon on Thursday met overseas Koreans. Following the lunch event, Yoon plans to visit a Korean-language institute and go to a trade show where Korean companies showcased their products.

Yoon will also attend a Korea-Vietnam cultural exchange event, followed by a dinner gathering with Korean business representatives.

Korea and Vietnam are marking the 31st anniversary of bilateral trade ties this year.
Yoon is on the second leg of back-to-back bilateral summits, following one in Paris from Monday to Wednesday.

Yoon on Tuesday met his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, as their talks centered on stronger supply chain cooperation and reconstruction in Ukraine.

Yoon on the same day pitched Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030 in front of officials of the Bureau International des Expositions. Busan is Korea's second-largest city by population, and the city has long served as a maritime hub for logistics in East Asia.