Attending the Dialogue on KNDA, there were Dr. Choi Woosen, Acting Director of the Institute for Diplomacy and National Security Studies, KNDA; Ambassador Lee Hyuk, former Korean Ambassador to Vietnam; Prof. Dr. Choi Wondeuk, KNDA and Dr. Choi In-a, Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP). On the VASS side, there were: Dr. Dang Xuan Thanh, Vice President of VASS; Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Huy Hoang, Director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies; Dr. Tran Hoang Long, Deputy Director in charge of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies, Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics and experts and scientists from a number of international research institutes belong to VASS.
Diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Korea had many achievements in politics, economy, culture and education over the past 30 years. The relationship between the two countries was elevated to a comprehensive partnership in 2001 and then to a strategic partnership in 2009. Currently, the two countries aim to elevate the strategic partnership to the next level comprehensive, but security cooperation has not been the top priority of the two countries. In the context of the volatile regional and world context, Vietnam and South Korea need to promote security and defense cooperation. As a major country, Korea should play an active role in promoting security cooperation with countries inside and outside the region.
Opening speech at the Dialogue, on behalf of KNDA Leaders, Dr. Choi Wooseon expressed his appreciation for the cooperation relationship between VASS-KNDA as well as the good diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and Korea in the past time. Facing difficulties and challenges of the regional and international context, Dr. Choi Wooseon shared his views on the two sides cooperation orientation, contributing to further strengthening the VASS-KNDA relationship as well as promoting cooperation opportunities and prospects between the two countries not only in Asia but also in the Asia, Europe and America.
In the opening speech, on behalf of VASS leadership, Dr. Dang Xuan Thanh warmly welcomed the large attendance of the participants. VASS Vice President appreciates the deep cooperation relationship between VASS-KNDA in the past time. At the same time, VASS and KNDA are the two leading research organizations in the field of research, policy consulting and training on diplomacy and international issues. Through strategic dialogues, the two sides further deepened the cooperation relationship as well as enhanced mutual understanding.
Vice President Dang Xuan Thanh also highlighted the emerging difficulties and challenges that the two countries Vietnam - Korea are facing: the rise of China, security issues in the Asia region; Russia-Ukraine conflict… Therefore, strengthening economic, political, diplomatic, security-defense cooperation plays an important role for the two countries in the process of jointly facing and solving challenges knowledge in the region and the world. Through this VASS-KNDA Strategic Dialogue, Vice President Dang Xuan Thanh hoped that the two sides would look back on the past 30 years of cooperation and look forward to the vision of a closer relationship, in order to raise the importance of cooperation between the two sides form a comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Korea in the coming period.
The strategic environment in the Indo-Pacific is increasingly polarized and complex due to the rise of US-China strategic competition and the Ukraine war. Many countries in the region are having a hard time navigating the great power competition. In the Session 1 on Developing Strategy for Security Cooperation Indo-Pacific and Vietnam-Korea chaired by Ambassador Lee Hyuk, the delegates (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huy Hoang- VASS and Prof. Dr. Cho Wondeuk-KNDA) shared views on ongoing strategic developments and changing regional dynamics in the Indo-Pacific and explored ways to strengthen security cooperation Korea-Vietnam security in the next 30 years.
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Over the past three decades, Korea and Vietnam have rapidly enhanced economic cooperation through bilateral trade, investment and development assistance. Accordingly, Korea is the third largest trading partner of Vietnam and the fourth largest export market of Vietnam. Korea is also the largest foreign investor in Vietnam. At the same time, the two countries joined the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2019 and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) initiated by the US this year. In Session 2 on Vietnam - Korea Economic Cooperation in the Indian Ocean, the delegates (Dr. Choi In-a, Korea Institute for International Economic Policy - KIEP; Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, VASS ) shared opinions on the bilateral economic cooperation relationship between the two countries and discussed opportunities for cooperation together on multilateral economic platforms such as RCEP, IPEF, etc.
In the difficult and challenging context of security in the region, in order to minimize military conflicts between countries, the participants in the dialogue all said that this is the right time for the two countries to work together, jointly manage, respond to and contain risks and need to push harder in the fields of diplomacy, economy, politics and especially security. The above-mentioned fields are an important foundation for the two countries to further promote their common position and role in the bilateral economic and security cooperation mechanism in the coming time.
The VASS-KNDA Strategic Dialogue in 2022 is a useful and important academic forum for the two sides to look back on the past 30 years of cooperation and orient their strategic vision in various fields, especially the economy, security - defense in order to propose appropriate solutions in solving international problems. Thereby contributing to raising the level of comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Korea, for peace and prosperity in the region and in the world.
Nguyễn Thu Trang
