Seoul (VNA) – The Party and State ofVietnam highly appreciate the activities of people friendship organisations aswell as intellectuals of Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) in contributingto the promotion of people-to-people exchange and friendship between the twonations, said National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

The Vietnamese top legislator made the statement duringa meeting with those who have made contributions to the Vietnam-RoK friendship onDecember 6 in Seoul as part of her ongoing official visit to the country.

Jointly held by the RoK-Vietnam Friendship Association and the Korea-Asia Friendship Foundation (KAFF), the event saw theparticipation of representatives from RoK enterprises, non-governmental organisationsin cooperation with Vietnam, experts, scholars, and lawyers.

Addressing the event, President of the RoK-Vietnam Friendship Association ChoiYoung-joo said that as a people friendship organisation, the association has contributedto the development of bilateral relations over the last 20 years, especiallyimplementing programmes to support Vietnamese people living and working in theRoK.

The association is also working to enhance technical and economic cooperation,culture, and people-to-people exchange between the two nations, he said.

President of KAFF Choi Jae-seong highlighted thefruitful development of bilateral ties, saying that Vietnam is an important partnerto his country. After the free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and theRoK took effect from December 2015, two-way trade increased rapidly.

After three years of implementing the FTA, Vietnam is theRoK's fourth largest trade partner, while the RoK is the biggest investor in Vietnam.

Ly Thua Vinh, Chairman of the Association of theLy Hoa Son clan, said that the Ly families [descendants of Prince Ly Long Tuongwho immigrated to the RoK from Vietnam in the 13th century] alwaysremember their roots and they feel happy to witness the increased friendship betweenthe two countries.

President of the Korea-Vietnam Culture EconomicAssociation Kwak Young-gil stressed that friendship and cooperationbetween the two countries has become a model for development cooperationrelations.

Prof. Ahn Kyong-hwan, President of the Association of Vietnamese Studies in theRoK, said that many activities have been arranged by the association to promoteVietnam’s image in his country, with workshops and exhibitions focusing on Vietnameseculture and history.

On the basis of friendship and mutualtrust, the RoK and Vietnam can certainly overcome all difficulties andchallenges towards a more prosperous future, he stressed.

NA Chairwoman Ngan thanked RoK friends and people friendship organisations for theirsupport and sustainable cooperation with Vietnam in accelerating the bilateral friendship.

The two nations have witnessed the breakthrough development of their relationsacross many fields, especially after they upgraded the ties to a strategiccooperation partnership, Ngan stressed.

The enhanced people-to-peopleexchange in particular contributes to promoting the bilateral relationship, sheadded.

She expressed her belief that the friendship and cooperation between Vietnamand the RoK will continue to grow stronger in the future, bringing practicalbenefits to their people and for the prosperous development of each countrytowards peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and theworld.

Chairwoman Ngan briefed participants on Vietnam’s socio-economic developmentand international integration over the last 30 years, affirming that Vietnamhas pursued its consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance,diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, and activeinternational integration. 

She suggested people friendshiporganisations in Vietnam and the RoK continue their wide range of practicalexchanges to further contribute to strengthening the friendship and cooperationbetween the two nations. –VNA