Party General Secretary To Lam holds talks with WPK General Secretary and President of the DPRK Kim Jong Un (Photo: VNA)
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) To Lam held talks with General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un at the WPK headquarters on October 9 in Pyongyang immediately following the solemn welcome ceremony for the top Vietnamese Party leader.
General Secretary and President Kim Jong Un warmly welcomed Party General Secretary To Lam and his entourage on their state visit to the DPRK and for attending the celebration of the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea.
Kim Jong Un stressed that this visit carries special significance, creating strong momentum to deepen mutual understanding, consolidate political trust, and elevate relations between the two Parties and the two countries to a new height, with a view to fulfilling each country’s socialist development objectives; it will also contribute to supporting the development of the DPRK.
The host leader recalled with great fondness his positive impressions of the Vietnamese people and the beautiful, developing country of Vietnam during his official friendly visit to Vietnam in 2019.
Party leader To Lam and his delegation at the talks (Photo:VNA)
Expressing his pleasure at visiting the DPRK in his new capacity and at a time when the DPRK is solemnly marking the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK Korea (October 10, 1945-October 10, 2025) and when both sides mark 75 years of diplomatic relations, the Vietnamese Party chief warmly congratulated the DPRK on its great achievements over the past 80 years under the leadership of the WPK, led by President Kim Il Sung, General Secretary Kim Jong Il, and now by General Secretary and President Kim Jong Un.
Party General Secretary To Lam expressed his belief that, guided by the principles of “putting the people at the center,” “great unity,” and “self-reliance,” the DPRK will accomplish the tasks and objectives set by the WPK and usher in a new era of comprehensive national rejuvenation.
In a cordial, friendly, and open atmosphere, the two leaders exchanged views on the overall situation in each country, bilateral Vietnam-DPRK relations, and international and regional issues of mutual concern. Kim Jong Un emphasized that, during Vietnam’s struggle for national liberation, the Korean people regarded that struggle as their own and selflessly supported the Vietnamese people; he also expressed gratitude for the valuable support the DPRK has received from the Party, State, and people of Vietnam in difficult times while building and defending their country.
Warmly congratulating Vietnam on its achievements over the past 80 years, Kim Jong Un expressed confidence that, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam headed by Party General Secretary To Lam, Vietnam will soon realize the development goals set by the 13th National Party Congress, successfully organize the 14th National Party Congress, and continue to achieve even greater achievements in the process of developing a socialist country in the time ahead.
Host and guest reviewed and reaffirmed the traditional friendship between the two Parties and peoples established by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kim Il Sung and nurtured by successive generations of leaders; they recalled the faithful and heartfelt mutual assistance during the difficult revolutionary years.
General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) and President of the State Affairs of the DPRK and his high-level delegation (Photo:VNA)
They showed elation at the continued consolidation and strengthening of relations between their Parties and countries, and agreed to jointly promote Vietnam-DPRK ties into a new phase of more practical and effective development, thus contributing to each country’s development goals, the well-being of their peoples, and peace, stability and development in the region and the world.
Both sides agreed to step up all-level delegation exchanges across Party, State, government and parliamentary channels, and to enhance locality-to-locality cooperation to intensify experience-sharing, strengthen political trust and mutual understanding; to maintain effective dialogue and cooperation mechanisms; to explore possible co-operation in appropriate fields; and to intensify people-to-people exchanges to tighten friendly bonds between the two countries.
The Vietnamese Party leader proposed that the two sides make effective use of Party channels, consider organising seminars to exchange theoretical perspectives and share experience in Party building and national development, ramp up both bilateral and multilateral parliamentary cooperation, and bolster mutually beneficial economic cooperation in line with each country’s development targets and international regulations.
Vietnam stands ready to share its experience in economic reforms and external economic relations, and to exchange information on economic management policies, import-export procedures, and socio-economic development, To Lam told his host.
He also expressed hope that the two countries would expand cooperation in promising fields of mutual strength and potential, including culture, sports, tourism, education, health, and media; and that they would develop radio and television programmes to introduce each country’s culture, land and people.
Welcoming and endorsing General Secretary To Lam’s proposals for cooperation, Kim Jong Un affirmed that the DPRK wishes to work closely with Vietnam in Party building and national development, and is ready to augment cooperation across appropriate fields.
Kim Jong Un urged Party agencies, the foreign ministries, and relevant ministries, sectors and localities on both sides to increase exchanges on specific measures to effectively carry out major directions for developing bilateral ties set out during this visit, thereby bringing Vietnam-DPRK relations into a new phase of development that yields practical benefits for the peoples of both countries.
The two leaders also compared notes on regional and international situation, and consented to boost cooperation, offer mutual support, and jointly coordinate cooperative activities at multilateral forums such as the United Nations and ASEAN-related regional forums.
Party General Secretary To Lam affirmed his support for relevant parties to promote dialogue, peacefully resolve differences, and jointly preserve a peaceful, stable environment conducive to cooperation and development on the Korean Peninsula.
He called on the DPRK to actively support efforts to uphold international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to ease tensions and to appropriately settle disputes and disagreements in accordance with international law.
