Vietnam seeks South Korea's support in accessing Covid-19 vaccines via the COVAX Facility and transferring technology for vaccine production.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during the phone talk. Photo: Nhat Bac

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made the request in a phone talk with his South Korean counterpart Kim Boo Kyum on July 22, in which both leaders have agreed to continue providing vaccination for foreigners in each country, including citizens from Vietnam and South Korea.

The two ministers also exchanged views on measures to strengthen Vietnam-South Korea's strategic partnership, especially as the two countries are scheduled to celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations (1992-2022).

Both government leaders stressed the necessity to promote cooperation in all spheres, including specific measures to ensure a balanced trade relationship with a turnover of US$100 billion and working on joint projects in national defense. 

In this regard, South Korea would further open the market for Vietnam’s agricultural and seafood products, along with steps to scale up ODA support for Vietnam.

The Vietnamese Government is expected to further improve the business environment and create favorable conditions to attract investment capital from South Korea while supporting South Korean businesses in Vietnam that are being affected by the pandemic.

Prime Minister Chinh also called for the South Korean authorities to continue supporting the Vietnamese community living in the East Asian country during this difficult period.

Both Chinh and Kim agreed on boosting cooperation in multilateral forums. The two leaders shared the same view on keeping security and free navigation on the East Sea, in which any territorial dispute should be settled via peaceful means and international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the soon conclusion of the negotiation process for the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Bilateral trade turnover in the first five months of the year rose by 15.5% year-on-year to $24.9 billion, of which Vietnam exports goods worth $8.9 billion to South Korea, or an increase of 17.1%, and imports of $20.9 billion, up 19.2%.

South Korea is currently one of Vietnam’s largest investors with a combined registered capital of nearly $72 billion in over 9,000 projects.