Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Vietnam Choi Young Sam. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

- Ambassador, what have been the most significant contributions of people-to-people diplomacy to advancing Vietnam-RoK relations in recent years? In your view, how should people-to-people diplomacy continue to strengthen its role in further deepening the relationship between the two countries?

Ambassador Choi Young Sam: Looking back on my tenure in Vietnam, the achievement I take the greatest pride in is not any single event, but the quiet, steady deepening of trust between our two peoples at the everyday level.

The scale of this exchange speaks for itself. Mutual visits between the RoK and Vietnam have surpassed 5 million annually; some 100,000 Korean and Vietnamese families have now been formed; Vietnam is home to a Korean community of roughly 200,000, while some 340,000 Vietnamese now make their home in the RoK. Behind these figures lie countless individual relationships, among students, entrepreneurs, and cultural partners, that give this relationship its true resilience.

During my tenure, I have placed particular emphasis on nurturing these grassroots ties, expanding scholarship and exchange opportunities for young Vietnamese to study in the RoK. In 2025, Vietnamese nationals also became the largest group of international students there, news that I found especially gratifying.

Looking ahead, I believe that diplomacy between our peoples will only grow more essential as the relationship matures. Government policy can lay the framework for cooperation, but it is citizens who breathe meaning and durability into that framework. As a new generation on both sides comes of age with a different set of shared experiences from those that shaped earlier ties, we must renew our investment in education exchange, language learning, and cultural cooperation.

Residents of Hanoi take part in Tuho, a traditional Korean throwing game, during the 2025 Vietnam-Republic of Korea Friendship Road Festival. (Photo: Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Vietnam)

I would also underscore the value of exchange at the local level, including sister city partnerships and cooperation between local governments, so that this relationship takes root ever more deeply beyond our two capitals. Ultimately, the partnership between the RoK and Vietnam will prove most durable when it rests upon a broad and confident foundation of mutual understanding among our citizens.

- How do you assess Vietnam's development direction, particularly its policies aimed at promoting economic growth, fostering innovation, and improving the investment environment?

Ambassador Choi Young Sam: Vietnam’s development strategy reflects clear national goals, including reaching upper middle-income status by 2030 and high-income, developed country status by 2045, paired with a consistent focus on macroeconomic stability, openness to trade and investment, and a growing emphasis on energy security, major infrastructure, and digital transformation. This combination of clear vision and steady execution has given Vietnam’s economy strong momentum and has helped build lasting confidence among international partners and investors.

Vietnam’s approach to growth and innovation has been pragmatic and forward-looking. The Government has shown real willingness to adjust policy as circumstances evolve, to engage constructively with international partners, and to prioritize investment in areas that lay the groundwork for the next stage of development, not just the current one.

On the investment climate, predictability and consistency are what matter most to investors over time, and Vietnam’s ongoing efforts to streamline administrative procedures and strengthen its legal and regulatory framework are welcomed by the Korean business community here.

During my three-year tenure, I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand Vietnam’s remarkable development as it reached historical milestones: the 50th Anniversary of Reunification and the 80th Anniversary of Independence. I strongly believe that Vietnam has demonstrated the institutional seriousness, ambition, and adaptability that tend to characterize successful long-term development stories.

In this ongoing journey of progress, the RoK looks forward to continuing to walk alongside Vietnam on that path as a close friend and strategic partner.

- Looking ahead, which areas of cooperation should Vietnam and the RoK prioritize to create new growth drivers and generate greater opportunities for the business communities of both countries, Ambassador?

Ambassador Choi Young Sam: Economic cooperation between the RoK and Vietnam serves as the central pillar driving our bilateral partnership, evolving in three main directions. These are upgrading cooperation in strategic sectors, connecting our business ecosystems, and building future-oriented partnerships.

First, cooperation in strategic sectors. Vietnam has set clear national targets, including reaching upper middle-income status by 2030 and developed country status by 2045. Vietnam is pursuing energy self-sufficiency through nuclear power, LNG, and renewables, major infrastructure such as high-speed rail, smart cities, and smart ports, and a nationwide digital transformation. The RoK holds world-class technology and experience in precisely these fields, so this is where the greatest synergy between our two countries can be realized.

Second, connecting our business ecosystems. A strategic partnership between the two countries can be stronger with more tangible fruits on the ground when it is backed by strong ties between companies of each country. In this regard, we need to double our efforts to foster business forums and partnership events that bring together government officials and business leaders from both countries, including programs designed specifically for capable small and medium-sized enterprises rather than only large corporations, which function as an important channel for building networks and sharing information between our business communities.

Most importantly, future-oriented cooperation. If the first two directions serve today’s results, this direction is an investment in the next generation. The RoK and Vietnam should jointly design a long-term vision for science and technology cooperation, with a focus on key sectors such as AI and semiconductors, and deepen collaboration on sustainable development challenges such as climate change and energy security. In addition, supporting the development of Vietnamese talent, which will enable our two countries to grow together, is equally important. Ultimately, these are two directions our future-oriented economic cooperation should take.

I would also point to economic security as an increasingly important dimension of this partnership. Amid intensifying strategic competition among major powers, cooperation between our two countries can serve as a strategic safety net for both economies.

Cooperation in critical minerals is another area that can strengthen the economic security of both our countries. Vietnam is endowed with abundant reserves of rare earths and other critical minerals, which are essential raw materials for high-tech industries such as semiconductors and batteries. The RoK possesses world-class technologies and competitiveness in this field and has developed advanced supply chains. By combining these complementary strengths, our two countries can generate significant synergies through cooperation in the critical minerals sector.

Moreover, at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty around the world, strengthening supply chain information sharing and building joint response mechanisms for global shocks should be a priority going forward.

- What are your expectations for the future development of Vietnam-RoK relations, particularly in the areas of economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges?

Ambassador Choi Young Sam: As I conclude my time as Ambassador, I do so with genuine optimism for the future of the relationship between our two countries. Over the course of my tenure, I have witnessed firsthand the depth of trust that has been built between the RoK and Vietnam, not only at the level of government, but across business, culture, and education, and in the everyday lives of the many Koreans and Vietnamese who now live, work, and study in each other’s countries.

Looking ahead, I expect our economic relationship to grow ever more sophisticated as much as it grows in scale, increasingly in fields such as technology, green energy, and services, rather than manufacturing alone. I am hopeful that our two countries will continue to find ways to make this partnership more balanced and reciprocal, supporting Vietnamese enterprises as they seek opportunities in the RoK, just as Korean companies have long sought them here.

On the ties between our peoples, I expect and hope to see continued growth in educational exchange, tourism, and cultural cooperation. I also hope to see this relationship mature at the local and community level, through sister city partnerships and cooperation between local governments. More broadly, I believe the RoK and Vietnam are ever more closely aligned as nations sharing common interests in regional stability and sustainable development, and I expect our strategic cooperation to deepen accordingly.

As I prepare to leave this post, my hope is a simple one. I hope that the relationship I have had the privilege of serving continues to grow not only larger, but closer, rooted in mutual understanding that endures beyond any single policy. It has been the honor of my career to have contributed to that effort, and I will watch Vietnam’s continued progress with great affection and abiding confidence.

- Thank you very much, Ambassador!

Vietnam-RoK Cultural Exchange 2026: Bridge Connecting People of Two Countries On January 25 in Hanoi, the “Vietnam-RoK Cultural Exchange 2026” program was held to celebrate the successful conclusion of the 14th National Party Congress, the 10th National Buddhist Congress, and the 34th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK).

Ambassador Choi Young Sam Awarded “For Peace and Friendship Among Nations” Medal During his tenure in Vietnam, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to Vietnam Choi Young Sam has made significant contributions to promoting friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea. Through his support for high-level visits and efforts to strengthen connections among localities, businesses, and people of the two countries, the Ambassador has helped deepen the Vietnam-Republic of Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership while expanding cooperation in people-to-people exchanges. In recognition of these contributions, the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations presented him with the “For Peace and Friendship Among Nations” Medal at a ceremony held in Hanoi on July 14.