The conclusion of the Viet Nam – Republic of Korea (RoK) free trade agreement talks is the most significant success in Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s working visit to the RoK on December 10-12, Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Minh Khoi told the media.

Korean President Park Geun-hye received President Nguyen Tan Dung

The deal will push forward a bilateral trade of 70 billion USD by 2020, making it easier for Vietnamese goods to enter the RoK, especially agro-forestry and garment. It is also a boost to Korean investments in Viet Nam, including technology transfer, he said.

The PM was in the RoK to attend a commemorative summit marking 25 years of the ASEAN – RoK dialogue relations. He met President Park Geun-hye, the Mayor of Busan city, and the Korean business community.

At talks with the Vietnamese leader, the RoK President reiterated that her country considers Viet Nam as a top partner in its official development assistance policy and pledged priority to infrastructure, green growth and human resources development projects in the country.

Both host and guest agreed to facilitate high-level visits and contacts while expanding cooperation among ministries, agencies and localities via dialogue mechanisms.

They vowed to work closely together to protect legitimate interests of their people, given that the number of Vietnamese and Korean citizens in each country is nearing 130,000.

Elaborating on Viet Nam’s role in promoting ties between ASEAN and the RoK, Khoi said Viet Nam is always a bridge connecting them on the back of its robust ties with the RoK and its central position in Southeast Asia.

Viet Nam has actively undertaken action plans benefiting the bloc and the East Asian nation, and together with regional countries, reached orientations for their future collaboration as ASEAN is working towards a common Community by late 2015, he said.