At a press briefing in Hanoi on June 8, the Korean diplomat expressed his wish to see bilateral ties grow into strategic partnership.

In 2011, he said, the RoK plans to provide Vietnam with an aid package worth $215 million for a number projects, including those to equip Danang hospital, build a solar energy plant in Quang Binh, and upgrade the water supply and drainage system in Long Xuyen.

In 2010, the RoK was Vietnam’s second largest ODA donor with a total approved amount of US$1.255 trillion.

It has devised an ODA strategy to help Vietnam achieve sustainable growth, train human resources, improve traffic infrastructure, and develop rural areas in the next five years (2011-2015).

Ambassador Chan-ho stressed that RoK business operations must be closely associated with social responsibility to help generate jobs, develop support industries and boost exports.

On this occasion, the RoK Ambassador granted VND141 million to the Vietnam Fatherland Front to assist underprivileged children.