President Lee Jae Myung is set to hold a bilateral summit on Wednesday with Vietnam's top leader To Lam in Hanoi. Discussions will focus on strengthening economic ties and supply chain coordination amid global uncertainties. Lee's state visit marks the first by a foreign leader since To Lam was elected state president earlier this month.
President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Hanoi on Tuesday after wrapping up his visit to India, marking the start of a state visit to Vietnam. On Wednesday, he will hold summit talks with To Lam, Vietnam's general secretary of the Communist Party and state president, to discuss ways to enhance "mutually beneficial and strategic" cooperation in nuclear energy, infrastructure, and critical minerals, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said.
The agenda also includes coordination on energy security and supply chains, strained by the war in the Middle East that has driven up energy prices. Vietnam has become a key manufacturing hub for South Korean companies and a strategic partner in diversifying supply chains away from China to mitigate geopolitical risks.
Bilateral trade hit a record US$94.6 billion in 2025, with both countries aiming to raise it to $150 billion by 2030. The visit follows To Lam's state trip to South Korea in August 2025, underscoring growing ties.
On Thursday, Lee is scheduled to meet Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, attend a business forum, and return home on Friday.
