Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on March 4 commended the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s outgoing Ambassador, Im Hong Jae, on his role in elevating bilateral relations to a new height.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (R) receives the Republic of Korea's outgoing Ambassador, Im Hong Jae, on March 4

At a reception for the ambassador, PM Dung said during his term of office, Im Hong Jae made practical contributions to promoting cooperative relations between ministries, sectors and localities of the two countries, turning the RoK into Vietnam’s leading investor, trading partner and ODA provider.

Bilateral ties in culture, science, technology, education, tourism, people-to-people diplomacy and other fields also developed strongly, he said.

The leader said he hoped that in his new capacity, the ambassador would continue to step up friendly and cooperative Vietnam-RoK relations, especially in economy, trade, culture, education and ODA, and pay more care to RoK citizens in Vietnam as well as Vietnamese people in the RoK.

Ambassador Im Hong Jae expressed his fine impression of the land and people of Vietnam, particularly its high economic growth rate in recent years.

With its rapid and steady growth, Vietnam will become a developed industrial nation in the decades to come, he said, promising to continue fostering cooperation and friendship in future.