(VOVworld)- The Republic of Korean President Park Geun Hye began a state visit to Vietnam on Monday at the invitation of President Truong Tan Sang. This is the first visit of President Park Geun Hye to Vietnam since she took office in February and the 5^th by a Korean President since the two countries established their diplomatic ties in 1992. Speaking at the welcoming ceremony, President Truong Tan Sang expressed his belief that the visit would contribute to deepening the Vietnamese-Korean strategic partnership. President Park Geun Hye said her visit reflected Korea’s wish to further the strategic partnership with Vietnam and strengthen mutual understanding and trust between leaders of the two countries and enhance bilateral cooperation.

During talks, the two leaders expressed their delight at the fine development of the bilateral cooperation 20 years after they established their diplomatic relations and 4 years since they set up the strategic partnership in 2009. In regard to politics, the two sides have regularly exchanged delegations. The Republic of Korea is Vietnam’s 4^th largest trade partner and Vietnam is Korea’s 9^th largest importer. The two-way trade turnover reached 21 billion USD in 2012 and 15 billion USD in the last 7 months, up 40% over the same period last year. Over the years, the Republic of Korea has been the second biggest ODA donor for Vietnam and Vietnam is Korea’s largest ODA recipient. At a meeting with media after the talks, President Truong Tan Sang expressed his hope to further the strategic partnership between the two countries.“ I’m delighted that the Republic of Korea continues to consider Vietnam a key partner in development cooperation and praise Korean businesses for strengthening investment in and technological transfer to Vietnam thus contributing to our country’s socio-economic development. I strongly believe that the Republic of Korean President’s visit to Vietnam will be a success, enhancing motivation for the Vietnamese-Korean strategic partnership and meeting the aspirations and interests of the two peoples, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world”.

During a meeting with President Park the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said the Vietnamese government always does its utmost to foster its partnership with the Republic of Korea and effectively implement bilateral agreements. Prime Minister Dung proposed President Park pay more attention to furthering the bilateral cooperation, especially in national defense, trade, investment and tourism and completing the negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement to facilitate Vietnamese goods entering the Korean market as well as increasing ODA for Vietnam and encouraging Korean businesses to invest in Vietnam. The Prime Minister urged the two countries to increase cooperation in culture, science, technology, education, training and people-to-people exchanges, and especially to resume the employment of Vietnamese workers.

President Park expressed her belief that the Joint Statement, which was signed during the visit, will mark a new milestone in the development of bilateral ties. She said that she hoped the Prime Minister would assign Vietnamese ministries and sectors to effectively implement signed agreements signed under the Joint Statement. On the same day, President Park laid a wreath at President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. In the evening, President Truong Tan Sang held a banquet in honor of the Korean guests.

The same day, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung received President Park Geun Hye in Hanoi.