(VOVworld)- Vietnam always considers the Republic of Korea (RoK) its strategic partner in socio-economic development, said National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan during talks in Hanoi on Tuesday with her counterpart Chung Sye-kyun. Chairwoman Ngan said Vietnam looks forward to the RoK President’s official visit and attendance in the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Da Nang city in November.

She asked the RoK to support Vietnam’s candidacy for the post of UNESCO Director-General. With nearly 6,000 valid projects worth 51 billion USD, the RoK is taking the lead among foreign investors in Vietnam. Ms. Ngan affirmed that Vietnam encourages the RoK’s groups to take part in its state-owned enterprise equitisation and bank restructuring. She suggested that the RoK assist its businesses in investing in agriculture, fisheries and food processing in Vietnam to help improve the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods. The top legislator asked the RoK’s National Assembly to continue supporting non-refundable aid and ODA loans to Vietnam, particularly in transport, health care, environment, high technology, personnel training and startup. The two countries should soon finalise and sign a framework credit agreement for 2016-2020, Chairwoman Ngan noted.

Representatives from the Vietnam-RoK Friendship Parliamentarians' Association welcome Speaker Chung Sye- kyun (Photo: VNA)

Speaker Chung Sye-kyun said that bilateral friendship and cooperation have been built on high political trust and cultural similarities. He also stated the two countries have enjoyed strong economic and trade development and plan to expand relations into diplomacy, security and education, adding that the RoK is willing to transfer technology to Vietnam. Highlighting the fact that each country has about 140,000 citizens living and working in the other’s country, the two sides stressed the need to boost cultural exchange programs and the teaching of Vietnamese and Korean languages in both countries.