Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul (left), on an official visit to Vietnam, on April 15 shake hands with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son at their bilateral dialogue and working-level dinner in Hanoi. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

By Park Hye Ri

Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul has agreed with Vietnam on close bilateral communication on reciprocal U.S. tariffs given the tight economic connection between Seoul and Hanoi.

 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul on April 16 said Minister Cho, who is on an official visit to Vietnam, held bilateral talks and a working-level dinner with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son in Hanoi. They discussed development of diplomatic ties and regional and global issues such as those involving North Korea.

Both ministers reaffirmed their strong intent to develop their comprehensive strategic partnership and agreed to bolster cooperation in sectors like diplomacy and security and trade and investment. They also pledged higher strategic collaboration in nuclear power plants, high-speed rail and large-scale infrastructure and cooperation in science and technology, consular services and human exchange.

Minister Cho said, "As the largest investor in Vietnam, Korea is the best partner for economic cooperation," urging Vietnamese assistance in resolving difficulties in labor, visas and licenses for Korean companies operating in the Southeast Asian country so that they can smoothly do business.

"Vietnam highly values the activities and expansion of Korean companies," Minister Son said in response. "We are continuing our efforts to help Korean companies resolve their hardships."

To uphold their partnership, the two sides pledged to boost bilateral cooperation in strategic and future-oriented sectors like nuclear power plants and high-speed rail.

Prior to the dialogue, Minister Cho hosted a meeting with ethnic Koreans and entrepreneurs based in Vietnam. He told them that Seoul will maintain dialogue with Washington and Hanoi to minimize damage to Korean companies from the U.S. imposition of reciprocal tariffs.

hrhr@korea.kr