President Lee Jae-myung praised Vietnam as a great nation during talks with Vietnamese President Luong Cuong on Thursday in Gyeongju, the host city of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) summit.

Lee said Vietnam’s resistance against Western colonial powers demonstrated extraordinary resilience, adding that its annual growth of nearly seven percent reflects overwhelming momentum.

He said South Korea hopes to join Vietnam’s development journey, envisioning a new level of cooperation across security, defense and cultural exchange.

Cuong responded that he highly values South Korea’s role in the rapidly changing international landscape and expressed confidence that Lee will lead Korea to “new miracles.”

Cuong added that Hanoi views Seoul as a reliable strategic partner and will continue to prioritize ties with Korea in its policy direction.

The leaders agreed to deepen collaboration for mutual benefit, regional stability and shared prosperity.