PM Pham Minh Chinh and his wife leave Hanoi on June 30, 2024, for an official visit to the RoK. (Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac)

This is the first official visit of a high-ranking Vietnamese leader to the RoK since the two countries elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022. It is also the first visit to the RoK by a Vietnamese Prime Minister over the past five years, and the first by Mr. Chinh as the PM of Vietnam.

The 4-day visit takes place at a time when Vietnam-RoK ties are developing strongly, with political trust increasingly strengthened and exchanges of delegations at all levels held regularly. The two countries cooperate closely and support each other in regional and international forums.

The RoK continues to be a leading economic partner of and the largest investor in Vietnam with 86 billion USD in investment as of April 2024. The Northeast Asian economic power is also the second largest partner in ODA cooperation of Vietnam, the third largest partner in terms of labour and trade, and the largest source of tourists to Vietnam in 2023.

PM Chinh’s visit will focus on intensifying cooperation in traditional fields such as politics, national defense, security, economics, labor, culture, tourism, science and technology, healthcare, education, as well as emerging areas like semi-conductor, the supporting industry, digital and green transition, the circular economy, climate change.

The PM will also seek the RoK’s continued support for the Vietnamese community in the RoK and enhance bilateral collaboration in issues of regional and international concerns.