Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) reports that at the invitation of Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik, accompanied by his wife Shin Kyung-hye, will pay an official visit to Vietnam from November 20 to 22, 2025. This visit is a continuation of close high-level exchanges between the two countries, demonstrating the high level and strong mutual trust of the Vietnam-South Korea comprehensive strategic partnership.
Bilateral Relations Development Timeline
1. Relationship Upgrade Process: Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in December 1992, bilateral relations have continuously advanced—establishing a "21st Century Comprehensive Partnership" in 2001, upgrading to a "Strategic Cooperative Partnership" in 2009, and further elevating to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" in 2022, entering a new stage of in-depth and pragmatic cooperation.
2. Recent High-Level Interactions: Since 2024, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Do Van Chien, and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam have visited South Korea; leaders from various South Korean departments have also visited Vietnam for exchanges. During To Lam's state visit in August 2025, the two sides issued a joint statement on deepening their partnership and signed 10 cooperation documents, which was of great significance. In October 2025, Vietnamese President Luong Cuong attended the APEC Leaders' Meeting Week in South Korea, and the two sides finalized new pillars of cooperation in science and technology, innovation, and other areas.
Key Achievements of Practical Cooperation
1. Trade and Investment: As of October 2025, South Korea will be Vietnam's largest investor (over US$94.3 billion), second-largest ODA provider, and third-largest trading partner. Trade reached US$81.5 billion in 2024, with a target of exceeding US$150 billion by 2030.
2. Key Areas: The second phase of the Vietnam-Korea Science and Technology Research Institute (VKIST) project is progressing, and a South Korean high-tech group is investing in the Vietnam National Innovation Center; education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges are highlights.
3. Multilateral Cooperation: Close cooperation within international mechanisms such as the United Nations and APEC, and within parliamentary frameworks such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Significance of Parliamentary Cooperation and the Visit
The two countries have a long history of parliamentary cooperation: a cooperation agreement signed in 2006 laid the foundation, and a new agreement in 2013 deepened multilateral collaboration, with high-level visits and experience sharing to monitor government implementation of cooperation. This visit by Woo Won-sik to Vietnam will further: 1. Implement the 2013 parliamentary cooperation agreement; 2. Strengthen exchanges of experience in legislation, oversight, and other areas; 3. Deepen coordination within regional and international parliamentary frameworks, contributing to the upgrading of bilateral relations.
