President Lee Jae-myung and Vietnamese President Lương Cường have held their first phone call and agreed to enhance cooperation between the two nations.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Thursday that the two leaders spoke for about 25 minutes, starting at 9:30 a.m., during which the Vietnamese president congratulated Lee on his election and wished him great success during his term.

During the call, President Lee reportedly said there has been remarkable development in bilateral relations in terms of trade, investment and personnel exchanges since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1992.

Lee also said he hopes the two nations will cooperate closely to advance their comprehensive strategic partnership. 

The Vietnamese president reportedly said he shares that hope, saying Vietnam wishes to strengthen its relations with South Korea as a reliable and important partner in Vietnam’s economic development.

The spokesperson said the two leaders agreed to expand and deepen bilateral cooperation in strategic sectors such as high-speed railways and nuclear power plants. 

The Vietnamese president invited Lee to visit Vietnam, and President Lee responded that he hopes to visit Vietnam to hold in-depth discussions to advance bilateral relations.