NewKerala.com

North Korea Parliament Official Meets Vietnam FM in Pyongyang Talks

North Korea's top parliament official Jo Yong-won met Vietnam's Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung in Pyongyang. The talks were held in a "friendly atmosphere" but details were not disclosed. The visit comes amid warming ties after a summit between Kim Jong-un and To Lam. A photography exhibition also highlighted the friendship between the two countries.

Key Points: North Korea-Vietnam Talks: Jo Yong-won Meets FM Trung

  • North Korea's Jo Yong-won meets Vietnam's FM Trung
  • Talks held in "friendly atmosphere"
  • Visit follows Kim-Lam summit in October
  • Photography exhibition highlights bilateral ties
2 min read

Top North Korean parliament official meets Vietnam FM in Pyongyang

Top North Korean official Jo Yong-won meets Vietnam's FM Le Hoai Trung in Pyongyang as ties warm after Kim-Lam summit.

"friendly atmosphere - KCNA on talks"

Seoul, May 16

A top official of North Korea's rubber-stamp legislature met Vietnam's Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung for talks in Pyongyang earlier this week, the North's state media reported on Saturday.

Jo Yong-won, chairman of the standing committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, met Trung on Friday during his visit to the country as Vietnamese President To Lam's special envoy, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

The KCNA dispatch did not offer details of the talks, which included North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Pak Sang-gil and Vietnamese Ambassador to North Korea Le Ba Vinh, but noted that it took place in a "friendly atmosphere."

Jo is considered a top aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and one of the most influential officials in Pyongyang, reports Yonhap news agency, quoting KCNA.

Trung arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday and met North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui the next day.

His visit came amid warming ties between the two countries following a summit between Lam and Kim in Pyongyang in October, which marked the first visit by a top Vietnamese leader to the North in 18 years.

Earlier, Pyongyang held a celebratory event to mark the recent key party congress of both North Korea and Vietnam.

The photography exhibition, hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Pyongyang, was held at Taedonggang Diplomatic Club on Thursday, featuring videos, photos and archival materials highlighting the friendship and cooperation between the two countries' leaders past and present, the Korean Central News Agency said.

The event was attended by Pak Sang-gil, vice minister of foreign affairs, and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, who is currently visiting the North as a special envoy of Vietnamese President To Lam, and Le Ba Vinh, Vietnam's ambassador to Pyongyang, among others.

North Korea held its ninth congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in February, and Vietnam convened the 14th national congress of the Communist Party in January.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
North Korea and Vietnam are both communist nations but Vietnam has opened up economically while North Korea remains isolated. This meeting seems more about diplomatic niceties than substance. Still, any dialogue is better than hostility.
M
Michael C
Typical North Korean propaganda - "friendly atmosphere" but no details on what was actually discussed. Vietnam seems to be playing a balancing act between China, the US, and now North Korea. Smart diplomacy actually.
S
Siddharth J
India-Vietnam relations are already strong, but this North Korea angle is worth noting. If Vietnam can maintain ties with both democratic and authoritarian nations, it shows their foreign policy maturity. We could learn something from that. 🇮🇳🇻🇳
J
Jessica F
Not sure why this is getting coverage. North Korea meets with anyone who will talk to them. Vietnam is probably just trying to secure some economic benefits or diplomatic support. The "friendly atmosphere" line is such a cliché from KCNA.
N
Nisha Z
The photography exhibition sounds nice - highlighting friendship between countries through culture and history is always a good thing. But let's be realistic, North Korea uses these events for legitimacy. Vietnam should be careful not to be used as a propaganda tool.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50