At the event, Gen. Chien affirmed that since the two countries lifted their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in November 2022, the relationship between Vietnam and the RoK has been constantly consolidated and developed in various areas, including defense cooperation. He underlined that the bilateral defense ties have continued to receive due attention from senior leaders of the two defense ministries to develop and achieve practical outcomes in such fields as all-level delegation exchanges, particularly high-level ones; education and training; dialogue, consultation, exchange mechanisms; defense industry, military trade; war legacy relief; cyber security; military medicine; U.N. peacekeeping; and mutual support and consultation in multilateral forums and mechanisms, especially ASEAN-led mechanisms.
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An overview of the dialogue |
Speaking highly of the Korean government and people’s support in overcoming consequences of post-war bombs and mines through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Vietnamese deputy defense chief expressed thanks to the government of the RoK for granting USD 20 million as non-refundable aid to help Vietnam complete the project entitled “Vietnam-RoK cooperate to overcome aftermath of post-war bombs and mines” in the 2018-2021 period in Binh Dinh and Quang Binh provinces; USD 14 million to carry out the “Mine Action for Vietnam-RoK peace village” project in the 2024-2026 period.
Gen. Chien suggested the two sides continue to exert utmost efforts to strengthen cooperation in the time to come with a focus on exchange of all-level delegations, education-training, dialogue, consultation, exchange mechanisms, defense industry, military trade, war legacy relief, and U.N. peacekeeping.
The Vietnamese official stressed that the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam is willing to welcome Korean senior officers to Vietnam to take part in training courses at the National Defense Academy and the Vietnamese language courses at the Military Science Academy in Vietnam.
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Deputy Defense Minister Hoang Xuan Chien and his Korean counterpart Kim Seon Ho sign the minutes of the 11th Vietnam-RoK Defense Policy Dialogue. |
For his part, Korean Deputy Minister of National Defense Kim Seon Ho said that the dialogue was a good opportunity for the two sides to review bilateral defense cooperation achievements gained over the past time and discuss future cooperation orientations.
The Korean official emphasized that the RoK wishes to expand defense ties with Vietnam. He suggested the two sides maintain current cooperation fields and develop new cooperation areas on the basis of the two countries’ friendship.
Also at the dialogue, the two sides talked about regional and international situations of common concern.
About the East Sea (internationally South China Sea) issue, Gen. Chien stressed that Vietnam is consistent with the policy of resolving all disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law and regional commitments, including the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982, ASEAN’s Statement on Six-point Principle on the East Sea, Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and promotion of negotiations on a practical and effective Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC).
Regarding the Korean Peninsula situation, Gen. Chien emphasized that Vietnam maintains its stance against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and supports denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and addressing of issues via peaceful dialogues.
At the end of the dialogue, the two deputy defense ministers signed the minutes of the 11th Vietnam-RoK Defense Policy Dialogue.
Translated by Mai Huong