Reducing Reliance on Chinese Supply Chains: South Korea and Vietnam Sign 12 Energy & Infrastructure Cooperation Pacts
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Vietnamese General Secretary To Lam met in Hanoi to sign 12 agreements in energy and infrastructure, strengthening supply chain diversification away from China.
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- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 21:51
- 🔍 Collected: April 22, 2026 at 22:02 (10 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 14:36 (16h 34m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Tseng Ting-hsuan, Hanoi, 22nd) South Korean President Lee Jae-myung held a bilateral summit with Vietnamese General Secretary To Lam in Hanoi early this evening to strengthen economic ties and supply chain coordination. Reports state the two sides signed 12 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) covering energy, infrastructure, and technology, acting as key partners for mutual supply chain diversification.
On the afternoon of the 22nd, a 21-gun salute was fired at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long to welcome the South Korean guest. Vietnamese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party To Lam invited South Korean President Lee Jae-myung to jointly inspect the honor guard of the Vietnam People's Army in a grand ceremony.
Following his visit to India, Lee Jae-myung arrived in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, on the 21st for a four-day state visit. Today, he held a bilateral summit with To Lam, focusing on deepening economic and strategic cooperation between South Korea and Vietnam.
At a joint press conference, the two sides stated: 'The leaders of both countries agree that in light of recent geopolitical instability in the Middle East causing supply chain disruptions, bilateral cooperation is particularly crucial. To this end, the two countries agreed to work closely together to strengthen energy security and stabilize global supply chains.'
Lee Jae-myung announced that the two countries agreed to enhance cooperation in the energy and infrastructure sectors. It is expected that an agreement for South Korea to export a subway system to Ho Chi Minh City will also be signed tomorrow. He noted that he hopes this upcoming contract will pave the way for expanded cooperation in large-scale infrastructure projects such as urban development and airport construction in Vietnam.
Furthermore, the two sides also discussed regional security issues during the talks. Lee Jae-myung reiterated the South Korean government's efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula. To Lam expressed support for South Korea's commitment to resuming dialogue with North Korea and pledged to assist in advancing peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
According to South Korean media reports, the two countries signed 12 MOUs covering areas such as nuclear power, electricity, and infrastructure.
The Vietnam News Agency pointed out that Vietnam has become an important production hub for South Korean companies and is a 'key partner in Seoul's strategy to reduce reliance on Chinese supply chains.' South Korea also hopes to play the role of the most reliable partner in Vietnam's digital and green transition.
This is the second meeting between the leaders of the two countries in nearly eight months. Last August, To Lam visited Seoul, becoming the first foreign leader Lee Jae-myung received after being elected president. South Korean media analyzes that Lee Jae-myung's return visit in less than a year demonstrates the deepening of the strategic cooperative relationship between the two countries.
Lee Jae-myung is the first foreign head of state to visit Vietnam since To Lam assumed Vietnam's two highest offices earlier this month. The South Korean Presidential Office stated that the two leaders would discuss how to strengthen energy security and stabilize key mineral supply chains amid global uncertainty brought on by the current Middle East conflict.
South Korea is Vietnam's largest investor, and the two countries are among each other's top three trading partners. Vietnamese media refers to South Korea as Vietnam's 'leading partner.'
Reuters noted that the output of just one Samsung factory accounts for more than a tenth of Vietnam's total exports. However, according to Vietnamese government data, South Korea's investment commitments to Vietnam dropped by about 25% last year compared to 2024, affected by trade uncertainty and concerns over Vietnam's regulatory policies.
The delegation accompanying Lee Jae-myung to Hanoi consists of nearly 200 companies, including senior executives from Samsung Electronics, SK Group, Hyundai Group, and LG Group.
During a meeting with the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction yesterday, representatives of South Korean institutions and enterprises expressed interest in cooperating in areas such as transportation infrastructure, urban development and governance, and nuclear power plants, expanding cooperation into other infrastructure sectors like highways, seaports, and airports, as well as housing development and smart city construction. Vietnam expressed full support for South Korea's cooperation proposals.
In 2025, bilateral trade volume reached a record $94.6 billion, with both countries ranking among each other's top three trading partners. The two sides have set a target to reach a trade volume of $150 billion by 2030.
In terms of geopolitics, Asia Times analyzed yesterday that 'Southeast Asia is key to breaking the deadlock on the Korean Peninsula.' Vietnam, Indonesia, and Laos can leverage their historical ties with Pyongyang to play a mediating role in the stalled inter-Korean relations—a role that major powers find difficult to achieve.
In particular, To Lam, who made a landmark visit to Pyongyang in October last year, might use flexible and balanced 'bamboo diplomacy' to open a new diplomatic window in the long-standing diplomatic stalemate, becoming a mediator for dialogue between North and South Korea. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150422
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(CNA Reporter Tseng Ting-hsuan, Hanoi, 22nd) South Korean President Lee Jae-myung held a bilateral summit with Vietnamese General Secretary To Lam in Hanoi early this evening to strengthen economic ties and supply chain coordination. Reports state the two sides signed 12 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) covering energy, infrastructure, and technology, acting as key partners for mutual supply chain diversification.
On the afternoon of the 22nd, a 21-gun salute was fired at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long to welcome the South Korean guest. Vietnamese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party To Lam invited South Korean President Lee Jae-myung to jointly inspect the honor guard of the Vietnam People's Army in a grand ceremony.
Following his visit to India, Lee Jae-myung arrived in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, on the 21st for a four-day state visit. Today, he held a bilateral summit with To Lam, focusing on deepening economic and strategic cooperation between South Korea and Vietnam.
At a joint press conference, the two sides stated: 'The leaders of both countries agree that in light of recent geopolitical instability in the Middle East causing supply chain disruptions, bilateral cooperation is particularly crucial. To this end, the two countries agreed to work closely together to strengthen energy security and stabilize global supply chains.'
Lee Jae-myung announced that the two countries agreed to enhance cooperation in the energy and infrastructure sectors. It is expected that an agreement for South Korea to export a subway system to Ho Chi Minh City will also be signed tomorrow. He noted that he hopes this upcoming contract will pave the way for expanded cooperation in large-scale infrastructure projects such as urban development and airport construction in Vietnam.
Furthermore, the two sides also discussed regional security issues during the talks. Lee Jae-myung reiterated the South Korean government's efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula. To Lam expressed support for South Korea's commitment to resuming dialogue with North Korea and pledged to assist in advancing peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
According to South Korean media reports, the two countries signed 12 MOUs covering areas such as nuclear power, electricity, and infrastructure.
The Vietnam News Agency pointed out that Vietnam has become an important production hub for South Korean companies and is a 'key partner in Seoul's strategy to reduce reliance on Chinese supply chains.' South Korea also hopes to play the role of the most reliable partner in Vietnam's digital and green transition.
This is the second meeting between the leaders of the two countries in nearly eight months. Last August, To Lam visited Seoul, becoming the first foreign leader Lee Jae-myung received after being elected president. South Korean media analyzes that Lee Jae-myung's return visit in less than a year demonstrates the deepening of the strategic cooperative relationship between the two countries.
Lee Jae-myung is the first foreign head of state to visit Vietnam since To Lam assumed Vietnam's two highest offices earlier this month. The South Korean Presidential Office stated that the two leaders would discuss how to strengthen energy security and stabilize key mineral supply chains amid global uncertainty brought on by the current Middle East conflict.
South Korea is Vietnam's largest investor, and the two countries are among each other's top three trading partners. Vietnamese media refers to South Korea as Vietnam's 'leading partner.'
Reuters noted that the output of just one Samsung factory accounts for more than a tenth of Vietnam's total exports. However, according to Vietnamese government data, South Korea's investment commitments to Vietnam dropped by about 25% last year compared to 2024, affected by trade uncertainty and concerns over Vietnam's regulatory policies.
The delegation accompanying Lee Jae-myung to Hanoi consists of nearly 200 companies, including senior executives from Samsung Electronics, SK Group, Hyundai Group, and LG Group.
During a meeting with the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction yesterday, representatives of South Korean institutions and enterprises expressed interest in cooperating in areas such as transportation infrastructure, urban development and governance, and nuclear power plants, expanding cooperation into other infrastructure sectors like highways, seaports, and airports, as well as housing development and smart city construction. Vietnam expressed full support for South Korea's cooperation proposals.
In 2025, bilateral trade volume reached a record $94.6 billion, with both countries ranking among each other's top three trading partners. The two sides have set a target to reach a trade volume of $150 billion by 2030.
In terms of geopolitics, Asia Times analyzed yesterday that 'Southeast Asia is key to breaking the deadlock on the Korean Peninsula.' Vietnam, Indonesia, and Laos can leverage their historical ties with Pyongyang to play a mediating role in the stalled inter-Korean relations—a role that major powers find difficult to achieve.
In particular, To Lam, who made a landmark visit to Pyongyang in October last year, might use flexible and balanced 'bamboo diplomacy' to open a new diplomatic window in the long-standing diplomatic stalemate, becoming a mediator for dialogue between North and South Korea. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150422
Choose to stand with the facts; every sponsorship you make is the power to protect freedom of the press.
Download the CNA 'First Hand News' APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.