South Korea will welcome Vietnam’s top political leader next week for high-level talks focused on trade and infrastructure. President Lee Jae Myung will meet with To Lam, general secretary of Vietnam’s Communist Party. This visit marks the first such trip by a Vietnamese party chief in more than ten years.
The summit will take place Monday in Seoul, with both leaders discussing ways to expand bilateral cooperation. Their agenda includes nuclear energy, high-speed rail development, smart city projects, and advanced science and technology. President Lee will also host a state dinner for Lam, with leading business executives in attendance.
Lam’s arrival also makes him the first foreign leader to visit South Korea since Lee assumed office. This event follows recent phone talks between President Lee and Vietnamese President Luong Cuong. During those discussions, both sides agreed to deepen economic cooperation, especially in large-scale infrastructure initiatives.
The Vietnam state visit signals growing interest in Vietnam’s north-south high-speed rail project. The plan aims to connect Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with a line over 1,500 kilometers long. South Korean construction firms are closely monitoring the opportunity to join this $65 billion project.
Currently, train travel between the two cities takes more than 30 hours. With the new system, travel time could drop to just over five hours. As a result, this upgrade would dramatically reshape domestic mobility and logistics within Vietnam.
In addition to rail, Vietnam is revisiting plans for nuclear power. The stalled Ninh Thuan nuclear project is now drawing renewed attention from international energy firms. South Korea’s state-owned utility KEPCO has expressed strong interest in joining Vietnam’s future nuclear initiatives.
Presently, Vietnam does not operate any nuclear plants. However, the country seeks to diversify its energy mix and boost long-term energy security. Therefore, South Korea views this as a critical moment to position itself as a key partner.
The Vietnam state visit will also include cultural stops, reflecting To Lam and his wife’s interest in Korean arts. Although the detailed itinerary remains private, officials confirmed the visit will blend diplomacy and cultural exchange.
Both nations aim to build a forward-looking partnership that benefits their economic and strategic interests. This summit reflects their shared vision of deepened cooperation across public and private sectors. Future collaboration in transport and energy could define a new phase in bilateral relations.
