Mr Trong made the statement while receiving Vice Speaker of the RoK National Assembly Moon Hee Sang in Hanoi on May 5. 

The chairman applauded the RoK delegation’s visit, expressing his hope that it will help further beef up cooperative relations between the two nations and the two legislatures as well. 

Since Vietnam and the RoK established diplomatic ties in 1992, the bilateral relationship has developed comprehensively, especially in politics, economy culture and education, he said, adding that the RoK is now one of Vietnam’s leading economic, trade and investment partners. 

The top lawmaker noted the two countries share time-honoured relations and various cultural similarities, and tens of thousands of Vietnamese women get married with RoK men and thousands of RoK families are living in Vietnam. This laid a firm foundation for long-term expansion of the bilateral relationship, Mr Trong said. 

He added that senior leaders of Vietnam and the RoK had previously agreed to elevate the multifaceted cooperation to the level of strategic cooperative partnership.

Trong thanked the NA and people of the RoK for effective assistance they have extended to Vietnam in recent years, as well as favourable conditions they created for Vietnamese citizens who are living and studying in the RoK. 

Moon Hee Sang said the RoK wants to participate in a number of major infrastructure and energy projects in Vietnam. 

He proposed the Vietnamese legislative body support RoK investors and RoK people who are living and working in the Southeast Asian country. 

The vice speaker said he hopes that the two parliaments will foster exchange and cooperation between the two countries for the benefit of their people and for common prosperity in the whole region.