President Nguyen Hung Son receives delegation from the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea

On 23 June 2026, Dr. Nguyen Hung Son, President of the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam (DAV), held a meeting and working session with a delegation from the Political and Administrative Research Division of the National Assembly Research Service (NARS) of the Republic of Korea, led by Ms. Lee Jung Jin, Deputy Director of the Division, to discuss avenues for future cooperation between the two institutions.

During the meeting, Ms. Lee Jung Jin highly appreciated the fruitful cooperation between DAV and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in recent years. She emphasized that fostering connections between the younger generations of Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea through educational exchanges constitutes a key foundation for further advancing bilateral relations. Ms. Lee also noted that she would recommend to the National Assembly the continued exploration of new opportunities for cooperation with DAV.

For his part, President Nguyen Hung Son acknowledged KOICA's valuable support and close collaboration with DAV through the project entitled "Enhancing Training and Research Capacity at the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam through ODA and Counterpart Funding." Sharing updates on the project's components, he highlighted the significance of the Viet Nam - Korea Strategic Cooperation Center for Vietnamese students, officials, and foreign affairs professionals. DAV expressed its hope that, once operational, the Center would welcome more Korean scholars and lecturers to conduct exchanges and lectures, thereby providing DAV students with broader knowledge and deeper research opportunities on Korea. Regarding the Smart Library component, President Nguyen Hung Son noted that the installation of equipment has been completed, technology transfer and basic data digitization have largely been finalized, and the library has begun initial operations. This component is expected to strengthen DAV's research capacity and provide students with enhanced access to diverse academic resources.

Ms. Lee Jung Jin also expressed her delight upon learning that Korean Studies at DAV has experienced rapid growth in student enrollment in recent years. The Academy currently has approximately 400 students pursuing this major. President Nguyen Hung Son explained that the increasing interest in Korean Studies is driven by expanding employment opportunities, growing Korean investment in Viet Nam, and rising demand from Korean enterprises for high-quality graduates capable of working effectively in international environments.

Exchanging views on Viet Nam - Republic of Korea relations, both sides agreed that over the past three decades the bilateral relationship has developed steadily and comprehensively, with the Republic of Korea serving as one of Viet Nam's most important Comprehensive Strategic Partners. Looking ahead, in order to adapt to the rapidly changing global landscape, the two countries should further deepen their cooperation, moving from expansion in breadth to greater depth, with increased attention to political issues not only at the bilateral level but also within regional and international contexts. Economic cooperation should gradually evolve toward higher value-added collaboration in science and technology and new growth models based on digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and the knowledge economy.

Both sides highly appreciated the outcomes of the meeting and expressed their desire to maintain regular exchanges and promote substantive, effective, and mutually beneficial cooperation. Strengthening collaboration between DAV and NARS will not only enhance each institution's research and policy advisory capacity but also make a meaningful contribution to deepening the Viet Nam - Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the new stage of development.

* The National Assembly Research Service (NARS), established in 2007, serves as the policy research and advisory body of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, providing analysis and recommendations on economic, political, social, cultural, and other public policy issues.