During a telephone conversation on Thursday both leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation on major regional and global issues, reported South Korean government spokesman Cheong Wa Dae.

According to the source, Moon and Trong agreed to proactively cooperate for the development of the ‘strategic cooperative partnership’ between the two sides.

Despite the Covid-19 crisis, South Korea and Vietnam maintained their pre-coronavirus level of two-way trade volume last year, Moon noted.

The South Korean president expressed his hope for close cooperation to achieve the goal of increasing it to at least $ 100 billion by 2023.

On his side, the Vietnamese leader proposed joint efforts to expand investment and partnership in global supply chains to that end, as well as to promote parliamentary cooperation.

Trong also congratulated South Korea for being formally recognized as an advanced economy by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad).

According to official data, more than 9,000 South Korean companies do business in Vietnam, and over 200,000 South Koreans reside in the neighboring country, while a similar number of Vietnamese live here. Regarding regional policy, both presidents spoke out for promoting dialogue for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and working together for peace and stability in Myanmar.

Likewise, they agreed to strengthen coordination in response to the pandemic, and to commemorate next year the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations.

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