Lee set to meet Vietnamese PM, discuss ways to boost trade
by JEONG BO UNPosted : April 23, 2026, 10:38Updated : April 23, 2026, 10:47
President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a welcoming banquet in Hanoi, Viet Nam on April 22, 2026. Yonhap
SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung, on a state visit to Hanoi, is set to hold a series of meetings on Thursday with senior Vietnamese officials including Prime Minister Lu Minh Hung to expand bilateral cooperation.
Lee's meeting with Hung comes after his summit the previous day with Vietnamese President Tô Lâm, who also serves as general secretary of the Communist Party. During the meeting, the two leaders agreed to cooperate across various sectors, including nuclear power, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and energy, reaffirming a goal of increasing bilateral trade from the current $94.6 billion to $150 billion by 2030.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (left) shakes hands with Vietnamese President Tô Lâm during a joint press conference in Hanoi, Viet Nam on April 22, 2026. Yonhap
Lee is expected to discuss further details with Hung on deepening ties including major urban development projects to enhance Viet Nam's infrastructure such as Hyundai Rotem's railway project in Ho Chi Minh City, which was among the deals signed at the summit.
Lee is also scheduled to have a luncheon meeting with Vietnamese National Assembly chairman Tran Thanh Man before attending a forum later in the day with business leaders from both countries to discuss ways to expand trade and investment.
Among the attendees for the forum are major business leaders such as Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Group chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Lotte Corporation chairman Shin Dong-bin, POSCO Holdings chairman Chang In-hwa, and HD Hyundai chairman Chung Ki-sun, among others.
Lee returns home on Friday after touring the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, the final stop on his itinerary in Viet Nam.
