1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Chung Eui-yong had a meeting and an official luncheon with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam Bui Thanh Son in Viet Nam, the first stop during his trip to Southeast Asia, on June 23 to extensively discuss bilateral cooperation and major regional and global issues.

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2. Foreign Minister Chung stressed that Viet Nam is a key partner of Korea’s New Southern Policy, noting that bilateral relations developed to the highest level over the past few years. He added that he looked forward to working closely with the new government of Viet Nam to continue strengthening bilateral ties.

◦ The two Foreign Ministers shared the view that the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Korea and Viet Nam next year will serve as a new turning point for the development of bilateral relations, and agreed to elevate the current “Strategic Cooperative Partnership” to a higher level on the occasion of the 30th anniversary.

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◦ To this end, the two Foreign Ministers decided to establish an “Eminent Persons Group” of prominent experts in Korea-Viet Nam relations in order to draw up a concrete blueprint for upgrading bilateral ties.

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◦ Foreign Minister Chung said that he hopes for stronger strategic cooperation between the two countries in terms of maritime security, national defense and the defense industry, and emphasized that this will help expand the horizon of bilateral relations.

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3. Foreign Minister Chung said that the trade volume in 2020 (US$69.1 billion) could be maintained at the pre-COVID-19 level on the basis of the close cooperation between the two countries, and suggested that the two countries continue enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade and investment.

◦ Foreign Minister Chung asked for Viet Nam’s support for Korean businesses, saying that their investment in Viet Nam could help with its sustainable and inclusive growth and high-quality human resources development. In response, Foreign Minister Son said that maximum convenience will be provided for Korean businesses investing in Viet Nam.

◦ In addition, Foreign Minister Chung asked for Viet Nam’s attention to and support for Korean businesses to ensure their participation in its major national projects such as the construction of a new airport in Long Thanh and an LNG power plant in Long An Province. Foreign Minister Chung also requested that the government of Viet Nam issue approvals as soon as possible to the Korean financial institutions that had applied for permission to establish corporations or branches in order to enter the Vietnamese financial market.

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4. Foreign Minister Chung explained in detail the difficulties faced by Korean businesses due to Viet Nam’s COVID-19 restrictions, including delays in granting exemptions to the entry ban for essential travelers, the extended quarantine period, and the closure of businesses in provinces where Korean companies operate.

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※ Foreign Minister Chung held a meeting with Korean business people and Korean residents in Viet Nam on June 22, listening to their difficulties amid the COVID-19 pandemic and discussing ways to support them at the government level.

◦ In response, Foreign Minister Son acknowledged that Korean businesses have contributed significantly to the economic development of Viet Nam, and said that he would actively discuss with relevant authorities ways to resolve the difficulties of Korean businesses.

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5. The two Foreign Ministers agreed on the importance of further strengthening international cooperation in response to COVID-19, and decided to seek cooperative measures for the equitable access, development and production of vaccines.

◦ The two Foreign Ministers said that private companies developing vaccines in Korea and Viet Nam could cooperate in clinical trials, and agreed to seek measures.

◦ Foreign Minister Chung said that Korea will provide supplies worth about US$2.5 million including vaccine syringes to help Viet Nam overcome COVID-19 this year as it had done in the previous year, attaching significance to the fact that an MOU was concluded to this end during his visit. In response, Foreign Minister Son extended deep gratitude for Korea’s support.

※ The signing ceremony of the MOU between the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Viet Nam's National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology to support the establishment of a COVID-19 vaccination response system was held on June 23 in the presence of the two Foreign Ministers.

◦ Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Chung said that the Korean government is conducting the COVID-19 vaccination for long-stay foreign nationals in Korea without discrimination between Korean citizens and foreigners, and requested active cooperation of Viet Nam so that the Korean residents in Viet Nam could get vaccinated if they want.

6. Foreign Minister Chung appreciated Viet Nam’s support for the New Southern Policy and explained that various cooperative projects have been developed following the 2019 ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit in accordance with the strategic directions of the New Southern Policy Plus, and said that he will continue to closely cooperate with Viet Nam to this end.

◦ Furthermore, the two Foreign Ministers noted that Mekong-Korea cooperation rapidly advanced over the past 10 years based on willingness for cooperation and co-prosperity, and decided to expand cooperation in capacity building on climate change and natural disasters, as well as cooperation for sustainable and inclusive growth within the Mekong delta region. They also decided to hold diverse commemorative events during the 2021 Mekong-Korea Exchange Year.

7. The two Foreign Ministers had an in-depth exchange of views on major regional and global issues, including peace on the Korean Peninsula, the South China Sea and the Myanmar crisis.

◦ Foreign Minister Chung appreciated Viet Nam’s efforts to host the second U.S.-North Korea Summit and its firm support for the Korean Peninsula Peace Process. In response, Foreign Minister Son reaffirmed the support for the Korean government’s efforts to resume dialogue and highlighted that Viet Nam would actively contribute to the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

◦ Moreover, the two Foreign Ministers shared deep concern on the recent developments in Myanmar, reaffirmed the support for ASEAN’s constructive role, and agreed to actively cooperate based on their shared view of the importance of the prompt implementation of the five-point consensus reached in the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting on April 24.

8. Lastly, Foreign Minister Chung invited Foreign Minister Son to visit Korea at a mutually convenient time, and Foreign Minister Son expressed gratitude for the invitation to Korea and suggested that the two sides further discuss the specific timing.