Lee arrives in Vietnam to deepen infrastructure, energy ties

HANOI — President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Vietnam on Tuesday for a four-day state visit aimed at expanding the bilateral partnership in strategic sectors, including large-scale infrastructure, energy security and next-generation industries.

Lee is the first foreign leader to pay a state visit since To Lam assumed the presidency in April, retaining his role as general secretary of the Communist Party.

The trip comes eight months after To Lam’s state visit to South Korea in August, when he became the first state guest received since Lee’s inauguration.

Cheong Wa Dae highlighted the significance of Lee's state visit as an opportunity to "build the strongest possible partnership with Vietnam, a key global partner beyond ASEAN," while also "strengthening trust and bonds between the two leaders," according to a press statement outlining the meaning of Lee's trip to Hanoi.

Cheong Wa Dae also stressed the visit's significance in "advancing strategic economic cooperation."

Lee's trip to Hanoi is intended to "support the goal of reaching $150 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 and lay the groundwork for stronger cooperation in nuclear power and infrastructure," Cheong Wa Dae explained.

The presidential office added that Lee's state visit "will support the participation of Korean companies in Vietnam’s national transformation projects, including nuclear power plants, new cities and new airports."

Lee is expected to convey South Korea’s commitment to mutually beneficial cooperation on major state-led infrastructure projects that should play a pivotal role in Vietnam’s development, including the Dong Nam city construction project and the Gia Binh new airport project.

The president's trip to Hanoi also aims to build "a mutually beneficial partnership to strengthen energy security and stabilize supply chains, including for critical minerals, amid global uncertainty."

Cheong Wa Dae expects Lee's state visit will "promote future-oriented cooperation" in the fields of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and science and technology between Seoul and Hanoi.

Bilateral trade reached a record $94.6 billion in 2025, underscoring the depth of economic ties between Seoul and Hanoi. The two countries are each other’s top-three trading partners, and Vietnam is South Korea’s second-largest source of trade surplus after the United States, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

South Korea’s cumulative investment in Vietnam stood at $56.8 billion as of 2025, making Seoul Vietnam’s largest foreign investor. For South Korea, Vietnam ranks as its third-largest investment destination overall and the largest among ASEAN member states, Cheong Wa Dae added.

More than 10,000 South Korean companies operate in Vietnam, where many export parts and materials — including semiconductors and home appliance components — for final assembly.

In his contribution to the Vietnamese daily Nahn Dan published Monday, South Korean Ambassador to Vietnam Choi Young-sam said, "The two countries are expected to pursue swift cooperation in core sectors directly linked to economic growth and public welfare."

"In-depth discussions are anticipated on large-scale infrastructure projects such as high-speed railways and new cities, as well as strategic coordination in (liquefied natural gas), renewable energy and other sectors that can support sustainable growth while addressing the climate crisis."

Choi added that South Korea’s advanced nuclear power technology and smart-city expertise could "provide practical solutions to Vietnam’s energy security and urban development needs."

Choi also highlighted the complementarity between the two economies to forge win-win cooperation.

"Korean companies’ active expansion and technology transfer in cutting-edge sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and smart ports will play a pivotal role in upgrading Vietnam’s industrial base," Choi said.

"If Korea’s technology and capital are combined with Vietnam’s outstanding human resources and dynamic growth potential, the resulting synergy will reach far beyond Asia into global markets."

Lee's official itinerary on Wednesday begins with a luncheon with South Korean residents in Vietnam before his summit with Lam. The summit will feature an official welcoming ceremony, talks with To Lam, the signing of memorandums of understanding, joint press remarks and a state banquet.

On Thursday, Lee is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Vietnam’s No. 2 leader, who oversees the economy and administration. Lee will then hold talks and a luncheon with National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, regarded as the country’s No. 3 leader.

Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday explained that Lee's meeting with Vietnam’s new leadership team would "lay the groundwork for long-term and stable bilateral cooperation."

After meeting with the Vietnamese leadership, Lee will attend the large-scale Korea-Vietnam Business Forum, which is expected to draw business heavyweights from both countries.

On Friday, Lee and To Lam are scheduled to participate in a friendship event at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long before Lee returns to South Korea.