During the meeting, Minister Minh expressed his appreciation for the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea, which has seen remarkable progress since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992. He noted that Korea is currently Vietnam’s largest foreign direct investor (FDI), the second-largest bilateral provider of official development assistance (ODA), and the third-largest trading partner.

Highlighting Korea’s advanced expertise in railway infrastructure, the Minister emphasized the country’s achievements in high-speed rail development, including technology localization exceeding 90% in the production of locomotives and carriages. He welcomed Korea’s interest in Vietnam’s North–South High-Speed Railway project and expressed hope for continued sharing of experience in technology transfer, project implementation, and freight transport operations.

“The Republic of Korea stands as a model for Vietnam to learn from in mastering high-speed rail technologies. We look forward to close cooperation in developing our national railway system”, Minister Minh stated.

On the topic of smart cities, Minister Minh acknowledged Korea’s strong capabilities in digital infrastructure and urban innovation. He expressed appreciation for Korea’s active involvement in several smart city projects across Vietnam, both in terms of financing and technical assistance.

“The Ministry of Construction encourages Korean businesses to further engage in urban development projects in Vietnam”, the Minister said, recommending that Korean firms proactively coordinate with local authorities to explore investment opportunities.

For his part, Ambassador Choi reaffirmed Korea’s commitment to supporting Vietnam’s development priorities and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in infrastructure, digital transformation, and sustainable urban planning.