![National Assembly Speaker Cho Jong-sik (right) and Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man shake hands at the National Assembly on Monday. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/09/07/news-p.v1.20260907.299aa9e8d83e4b4e8650a4ce2dfc5814_P1.jpg)
National Assembly Speaker Cho Jong-sik met Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man on Monday, saying Vietnam has established itself as South Korea's key partner within ASEAN across trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges.
Speaking at the talks, Cho said the two countries have built a close cooperative relationship across all areas — including economic and human exchanges — since elevating ties to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" in 2022, a process that included reciprocal visits by General Secretary To Lam and President Lee Jae-myung.
Cho said the exchange of visits between the two countries' assembly speakers within a single year — following the previous South Korean speaker's trip to Vietnam last year — was "proof of the special friendship between Korea and Vietnam." He added that it was particularly meaningful that Tran was the first foreign guest he had received since taking office.
On the APEC Leaders' Summit to be held next year in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, Cho said South Korea would "actively cooperate at the parliamentary level to help ensure the summit is a success."
Tran said he considered it an honor to be the first foreign guest to visit since Cho assumed the speakership, adding that relations between Vietnam and South Korea since the establishment of diplomatic ties had achieved remarkable results that brought tangible benefits to the people and businesses of both countries across a wide range of fields.
He added that Vietnam regards South Korea as its top strategic partner in its overall foreign policy, and that the Vietnamese National Assembly is prepared to work closely with its South Korean counterpart to further strengthen ties between the two countries.
bigroot@heraldcorp.com
