Vietnam, North Korea vow to elevate ties to new heights

The agreement was reached during talks held on Thursday in Pyongyang, as part of Lam’s state visit to North Korea from October 9 to 11, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Kim, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, said the visit holds special significance as it creates strong momentum to deepen mutual understanding, consolidate political trust, and elevate bilateral relations to new heights in pursuit of each country’s socialist development goals.

The trip also contributes to supporting North Korea’s development, he added.

Expressing his pleasure at his first visit to North Korea, which coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, Lam congratulated the country on its remarkable achievements under the leadership of the WPK.

He expressed confidence that North Korea will fulfill the tasks and goals set by the Workers’ Party of Korea and usher in a new era of comprehensive national prosperity and revival.

The two leaders reviewed the traditional friendship founded by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kim Il Sung, and nurtured by successive generations, recalling the sincere mutual support shared during their revolutionary struggles.

They reached a consensus to elevate Vietnam–North Korea relations to a new stage of more substantive and effective cooperation, fostering mutual growth and contributing to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.

The two sides agreed to promote high-level exchanges, strengthen cooperation between localities, and expand people-to-people exchanges to deepen mutual understanding and political trust.

Lam proposed that both sides share experience in Party building and national development, and foster mutually beneficial economic cooperation aligned with each country’s development goals and international norms.

He also expressed hope for broader cooperation in culture, sports, tourism, education, healthcare, and the media, including joint programs to promote each country’s culture, land, and people.

Welcoming Lam’s proposals, Kim affirmed North Korea’s readiness to work closely with Vietnam in Party building and national development, and to expand cooperation across appropriate fields.

He suggested both sides maintain close exchanges to effectively implement the major orientations for bilateral cooperation agreed upon during the visit.

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern and agreed to strengthen coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, including the United Nations (UN) and ASEAN-related mechanisms.

Lam reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent support for dialogue and the peaceful settlement of differences, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a stable environment conducive to cooperation and development on the Korean Peninsula.

He also called on North Korea to actively support efforts to uphold international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to ease tensions and appropriately resolve disputes in line with international norms.