1. The Republic of Korea-Vietnam Public Diplomacy Dialogue, sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and co-hosted by the Korean Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, took place in Hanoi, Vietnam, on March 15. It was attended by about 100 people, including Ambassador to Vietnam Lee Hyuk, Ambassador for Public Diplomacy Park Enna and President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences Nguyen Quang Thuan, as well as government officials, academics and people in the media from the two countries.

o The meeting was held as part of public diplomacy efforts to raise the Vietnamese people’s interest in the ROK’s key policies, including the New Southern Policy, and to help them better understand them ahead of the ROK President’s visit to Vietnam.

2. President Thuan said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, the relations between the two countries have rapidly developed in a range of areas. Ambassador Lee Hyuk said that the ROK government is working to expand its model for cooperation with Vietnam, its key partner, to other regions, through its “vision to establish an ROK-ASEAN community.”

3. Ambassador for Public Diplomacy Park Enna talked about the significance and expected results of the ROK President’s upcoming visit to Vietnam, and stressed that only the relationship established with warm hearts of truly caring for each other can have a sustainable future, and this is what the ROK wants to achieve through its public diplomacy towards Vietnam.

4. In addition, experts from the two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on the situation on the Korean Peninsula, economic cooperation, and other challenges and cooperation in East Asia; the ROK government’s New Southern Policy; and ways to advance the ROK-Vietnam relations.

o (Situation in East Asia) The Vietnamese side made a positive assessment of the recent changes in the situation on the Korean Peninsula since the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, and spoke highly of the ROK government’s related efforts. It also asked for the ROK side’s continued interest in issues at ASEAN.

o (New Southern Policy) The Vietnamese side asked the ROK side to continue to pay attention to ASEAN and provide policy support regardless of changes in the situation on the Korean Peninsula, as the ROK and ASEAN have already established inseparable relations in various sectors.

o (Advancing bilateral relations) The two sides shared the view that the bilateral relations have made remarkable progress over the past 25 years, and that they need to devise more substantial measures for mutually-beneficial cooperation, building upon the previous accomplishments, in order to further advance the bilateral relations over the next 25 years.

- In particular, the Vietnamese side pointed out the need for recipient-centered development cooperation; efforts to address trade imbalances; and Korean companies’ efforts to return more profits to the country. It also said that as the bilateral relations are developing into family ties, the two countries need to exert efforts to address imbalances in their people’s awareness of each other; implement inclusive multicultural policies; and improve conditions for migrant workers.

5. Experts from the public and private sectors of the two sides said that the public diplomacy dialogue, held in Vietnam for the first time, served as an opportunity to reaffirm the two countries’ commitment to advancing their relations through candid and constructive discussions between them. Major media outlets in Vietnam also expressed expectations for the ROK President’s forthcoming visit to the country, and made a positive assessment of the results of the meeting.

* unofficial translation