10-20-2009
(Posted by CAAI News Media)
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak arrived in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi Tuesday for a summit with President Nguyen Minh Triet.
Lee's Vietnam visit is part of his six-day Southeast Asian tour, which will also take him to Cambodia, Thursday, and Thailand, Friday, where he will attend a meeting of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus Korea, Japan and China.
At today's summit, Korea and Vietnam are expected to sign an agreement to upgrade their diplomatic relations to a "strategic cooperative" partnership and strengthen joint economic projects.
Lee may ask Hanoi to allow more Korean firms to participate in its infrastructure development projects.
Also on the agenda will be ways to boost cooperation in the areas of telecommunications, energy and culture, a Cheong Wa Dae spokesman said.
"The two leaders will review the progress of their countries' bilateral relations since the normalization of diplomatic ties in 1992 and consult on ways to strengthen cooperation in the economic, trade, social and cultural sectors," the spokesman said.
In an interview with Vietnam's state-owned television network, VTV, Lee hoped Korea's trade with Vietnam will increase further and that the Southeast Asian nation will remain a key investment and trade partner.
"Korea is committed to strengthening partnership with Vietnam, a major destination of Korean investors," Lee said. "I hope Korea and Vietnam will foster future-oriented partnerships to consolidate economic and cultural ties, as well as to strengthen cooperation on global issues."
Vietnamese President Triet said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency that he welcomes the development of two-way relations through the expansion of South Korean companies' investments in transportation, harbors, energy, high technology, the environment and agricultural development, which would contribute to Vietnam's economic and social development.
"The forming of a strategic cooperative relationship is very meaningful and will boost friendship and mutual trust. I believe that it will further bolster and develop relations in a more efficient, comprehensive and deep manner," Triet said.
Vietnam is a key production base for more than 1,000 South Korean companies, including corporate giants Samsung and LG groups, SK Energy and POSCO, as well as smaller businesses in industries ranging from energy and electronics to textiles.
According to a poll conducted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in January, 93.5 percent of South Korean companies operating in Vietnam said they would invest more or maintain their current levels of investment.
Upon arrival in Hanoi, Lee met with young Vietnamese leaders and offered a speech on ways to strengthen relations between the two countries.
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