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South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung said Vietnam and South Korea can “grow together” and shape their shared future, speaking at the Vietnam-Korea Economic Forum in Hanoi on April 23. The event brought together leaders of top companies from both countries across sectors including energy, finance, technology, construction, infrastructure, trade, tourism, and aviation.
Lee highlighted Vietnam’s ongoing economic transformation, describing the country as the “heart of ASEAN” with growth remaining around 7% annually. He said the progress in bilateral cooperation reflects mutual trust as the “shortest path” to shared prosperity, adding that people-to-people bonds provide a strong foundation for collaboration.
He also pointed to cultural exchanges as evidence of growing ties, citing Blackpink’s performance in Hanoi and the growing familiarity of Vietnamese pho in Korea. Based on these exchanges, Lee said the two sides can grow together and design the future, stating that “Vietnam’s future will be Korea’s opportunity.”
On cooperation directions, the Korean side proposed three pillars: developing future industries such as AI, semiconductors, and the digital economy; establishing foundations for energy cooperation and supply chains; and elevating science and technology cooperation.
Lee said South Korea is currently Vietnam’s largest foreign investor and its third-largest trade partner. He added that Korean enterprises have nearly 10,500 active projects in Vietnam with total registered capital close to $100 billion, creating nearly 1 million jobs and contributing over 30% of Vietnam’s total export turnover.
Vietnam’s Prime Minister Le Minh Hung said that after more than three decades of evolving relations, economic and trade cooperation has developed strongly—particularly after the relationship was upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He noted that Korean partners have helped shape Vietnam’s key industries, including electronics and processing-manufacturing, as well as high-tech sectors.
Le also described the benefits Vietnam offers Korean enterprises, including a safe and stable investment environment, a production base with cost competitiveness, and a large skilled labor force. He said Vietnam’s market of more than 100 million people, along with a rising middle class and its role as a gateway to larger markets through new-generation FTAs, can help Korean companies strengthen competitiveness in global value chains.
Le outlined three directions for cooperation: building a high-tech, next-generation industrial ecosystem; restructuring supply chains toward sustainability and higher value; and promoting knowledge linkage, joint R&D, and commercialization of technology. He said Vietnam will continue reforming institutions and improving the investment climate to support long-term cooperation that benefits both sides.
At the forum, enterprises from both countries signed and exchanged 73 MOUs across sectors including energy, finance, technology, processing-manufacturing, infrastructure, tourism, and aviation.
Large firms including Samsung, Sun Group, and CMC called for expanding cooperation in advanced technology, workforce development, and value-chain integration. Officials from relevant ministries on both sides pledged to complete the institutional framework and ensure a transparent, stable, and predictable investment environment.
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