Moving toward Strategic Cooperative Partnership

The Korean delegation to the 2012 Korea-Vietnam Future Forum, headed by Korea Foundation President Woosang Kim, included 16 leading figures representing politics, government, journalism, and academia. Among them were former Prime Minister Kim Seok-soo; National Assemblyman Kim Choon-jin; Chung Jong-wook, former senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs and security; Park Jin, former chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee of the National Assembly; Professor Huh Yoon of Sogang University’s Graduate School of International Studies; Chung In-kyo, professor of economics at Inha University; Lee Sang-hwan, professor of political science and diplomacy at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and Ambassador to Vietnam Ha Chan-ho.

Prominent participants from Vietnam included VASS President Nguyen Xuan Thang; former Deputy Premier Vu Khoan; Vu Tien Loc, chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and president of the Korea-Vietnam Friendship Association; Tran Viet Thai, director of the Center for Regional and Foreign Policy Studies of the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ho Quang Truong, director-general of the International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade; Le Bo Linh, vice chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee of Science, Technology and Environment; and Vu Minh Giang, vice president of Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

The forum evaluated bilateral relations between Korea and Vietnam over the past 20 years since the two nations established diplomatic ties in 1992, and outlined the direction of future relations. Compared to similar gatherings in the past, the forum covered a broader range of subjects, including political, diplomatic, socio-cultural, and economic issues. Prominent opinion leaders from both countries engaged in comprehensive dialogue and presented concrete steps to improve bilateral relations, such as an early completion of free trade negotiations, joint historical research, and two-way cultural exchange.

“When I was participating in negotiations for the normalization of relations between our nations 20 years ago, I couldn’t imagine Vietnam-Korea relations would develop so speedily,” said former Vietnamese Deputy Premier Vu Khoan. “Early this month, Korea started FTA talks with Vietnam ahead of all other Southeast Asian countries,” said former Korean Prime Minister Kim Seok-soo. “This symbolizes the rapidly-growing relations between our two countries.”

Participants in the forum unanimously agreed that bilateral cooperative relations between the two countries have developed at a globally unprecedented pace in the past two decades. Vietnamese delegates noted in particular that Korea has become one of Vietnam’s closest allies not only economically but diplomatically and culturally as well.

“Korea and Vietnam made a historical decision to normalize their relations, thereby opening a new era for both countries,” said Nguyen Xuan Thang, president of VASS. “Vietnam has received a large amount of development aid from Korea and in the past several years, Korea has also topped our foreign investors in Vietnam.” He went on: “Twenty years ago, Vietnamese people learned about the ‘Miracle of the Han River’ through such large conglomerates as Daewoo, Hyundai, and Samsung, and later they came to know about Korea through Korean TV dramas, and more recently through Korean food.”

In his opening address, KF President Woosang Kim said: “Vietnam and Korea both have overcome historical hardships and achieved remarkable economic success. Korea has turned itself into a donor country from a beneficiary of foreign aid in 50 years, and Vietnam has also risen as an emerging market drawing global attention through bold reforms and open-door policies since the end of the war.”

FTA to Intensify Economic Exchange

Keynote speakers from both sides called for the signing of a bilateral FTA and two-way cultural exchange to upgrade relations between the two nations. Professor Chung In-kyo at Inha University said: “The existing Korea-ASEAN FTA can hardly appeal to enterprises of either country because the agreement calls for slow market opening and concerns super-sensitive items. A bilateral FTA is essential to further strengthen the exchange of human resources and cultural cooperation between the two countries beyond trade and investment.”

“Advocating policy efforts on the part of Korea to attain Vietnam’s cooperation, Professor Chung continued: “Vietnamese people need to understand that Korean exports to Vietnam are mostly raw materials for Korean manufacturers operating in Vietnam and that expansion of their production will contribute to the economic growth of Vietnam.” A joint study of potential benefits of a Korea-Vietnam FTA actually indicates that a free trade deal will result in greater incremental GDP growth for Vietnam than Korea. It has been projected that Korea’s annual GDP growth rate will gain some 0.19-0.74 percent, while Vietnam’s GDP will expand by up to 5.4 percent annually when the trade of sensitive agricultural products is liberalized under a free trade agreement.

Korean Language Education

There were also voices calling for efforts to increase two-way cultural exchange rather than the current arbitrary wave of hallyu to enjoy Korean pop culture. Professor Lee Sang-hwan of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies contended that, in order to ensure the sustainability of hallyu, Korea should try to promote two-way cultural exchange by introducing Vietnamese culture to Korea, instead of considering the Korean Wave as evidence of Korea’s cultural superiority or a commercial opportunity. Professor Lee went on to add: “Especially, at three universities in Hanoi region, Korean Studies largely remains at a fledgling stage while Korean language education has entered into a phase of self-sustaining growth. Therefore, Korea is advised to provide manpower support to Vietnam to take charge of Korean Studies education as well as help train local educators.”

Participants from both countries also urged the Korean government to increase policy considerations toward the growing population of Vietnamese nationals in Korea. Professor Ngo Van Le of Vietnam National University, in Ho Chi Minh City said: “Korea has been a single-race nation for thousands of years but now is abruptly experiencing a multiracial society. Korea should set up policies to strengthen social cohesion before it is too late.” Professor Chang Woong of Chungang University chimed in, saying: “It is overly optimistic to believe that successful economic cooperation will automatically ensure successful relations in other fields as well. We should recall that the relationship between Korea and Japan has drastically cooled off recently due to an unexpected non-economic factor.” Professor Chang went on to note that Korea and Vietnam should solidify their ties by boosting multied exchanges in various areas and sectors. “Our two countries need to organize a joint research group to review our past history and design future directions of our relations from a pan-Asian perspective,” he said.

Local Media Coverage

The Korean delegation paid a courtesy call to Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang after the forum. President Sang said to the visiting Korean delegates: “As I said when I met President Lee Myung-bak, Korea and Vietnam are in-laws. We are almost like a family.” He highly commended the Korea Foundation’s contributions to improving the friendly relations between Korea and Vietnam through various efforts such as fostering human resources supporting personnel and academic exchanges. “Various programs to mark the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two nations, including the Korea-Vietnam Future Forum and the Korea-ASEAN Forum, help ensure the success of the ‘2012 Vietnam-Korea Friendship Year,’ and enhance cooperation, mutual trust, common benefits, and goodwill between our two countries,” he said.

The local media paid remarkable attention to the forum and the Korean delegation’s visit to President Sang. VTV1, a state-run television network, covered both events as a major news item on August 28. The Vietnam News, an English-language newspaper,
had front-page coverage with the headline, “President Lauds Korea Foundation,” and Nhan Dan, a vernacular newspaper, also ran an article with photographs on the front page.

Jee Chang-sun, Director
KF Hanoi Office