Hanoi (VNA) – Party General Secretary and State President To Lam welcomed Chang Ho-jin, Special Advisor on Foreign Affairs and🔯 Security to President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Yoon Suk Yeol, during a reception in Hanoi on October 15.

Lam praised the significance of Chang's working trip, which followed his phone talks with President Yoon on September 3. He thanked Yoon and the RoK Government for their timely support for Vietnam in the wake of the recent Typhoon Yagi. Chang commended the development of the RoK-Vietnam relations over the past three decades, affirming that the RoK considers Vietnam a key partner in advancing its Strategy for a Free, Peaceful and Prosperous Indo-Pacific, and the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative. He expressed confidence that under Lam’s leadership, the Vietnamese people will successfully achieve their set goals and vision. Conveying a message from President Yoon, Chang emphasised the RoK's desire to become a trustworthy and important partner of Vietnam in the latter's pursuit of becoming a developed and high-income country by 2045. Beyond political and diplomatic cooperation, the RoK values and wishes to expand economic, trade and investment collaboration, especially in high technology, innovation, transport infrastructure, energy, and national defence-security, while coordinating in global issues of shared concern, the Special Advisor said. In response, the host leader affirmed that Vietnam considers the RoK one of the top priority partners in its foreign policy. He also outlined several key directions to foster bilateral ties within the framework of the Vietnam-RoK comprehensive strategic partnership. Underlining Vietnam's consistent viewpoints on major issues, Lam affirmed that Vietnam always pays attention to and stays ready to actively contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Chang articulated the RoK Government’s stance, underscoring its desire to promote lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. Regarding the East Sea issue, both sides agreed on the need to maintain regional peace, stability, cooperation and development, while respecting international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea./.