The Korea Foundation and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) co-hosted the second Korea-Vietnam Forum for the Future at the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul. A leading Vietnamese think tank, VASS provides consulting services and technical expertise to the Vietnamese government in areas such as policy formulation and works closely with research institutions around the world for the promotion of more cooperative international relations.
Attended by leaders representing the government, legislative, media, academic, and sociocultural sectors of both countries, the forum served as a channel for two-way communication and a follow-up to the first session, which was held three years ago in Hanoi to celebrate 20 years of Korea-Vietnam relations. The participants engaged in in-depth discussions of key issues and concerns regarding Korea-Vietnam diplomacy in order to reinforce the foundation of their cooperative relations in the coming years.
To build on the forum’s momentum and enable Vietnamese officials to learn more about Korea, the Foundation extended an invitation for Nguyen Xuan Thang, President of VASS, to visit Korea. During his stay in Korea, President Thang met with Yun Duk-min, Chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, as well as professors of relevant fields, and delivered a special lecture at the Seoul National University Asia Center. President Thang was also able to visit the Incheon Free Economic Zone, survey Korea’s special economic districts, and meet with key leaders to discuss proposals to help bolster Korea-Vietnam relations. During his tour of Korea, President Thang noted, “Korea-Vietnam relations are close enough to be called ‘countries-in-law’ and I look forward to seeing the strategic cooperative alliance we’ve forged continue developing into an even more intimate relationship.”

• Global Networking Department
  02-2046-8562 / yrjeong@kf.or.kr
• Personnel Exchange Department
  02-2046-8644 / hwpark@kf.or.kr