Hang made the statement on May 19 in reply to reporters’ questions on Vietnam’s reaction to the latest test-firing of a ballistic missile in the Democratic People Republic of Korea (DPRK). “Vietnam is concerned in relation to recent developments on the Korean Peninsula and the DPRK’s missile launch on May 14,” Hang stated. She stressed that the action violated relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. Maintaining peace, stability and prosperous development in the region is a common responsibility of all countries, she affirmed. Vietnam calls on countries to strictly abide by relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, and take constructive and practical actions, contributing to maintaining peace, security and stability in the region and the world. … [Read more...]

The spokesperson said Vietnam is deeply concerned about recent developments relating to the Korean peninsula and the missile launch by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on May 14, which violated resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. The country's consistent stance is to support all efforts to promote dialogue and maintain peace, and stability on the Korean peninsula. This is a shared responsibility of all countries. Vietnam asked other nations to seriously comply with the UN related resolutions and take constructive actions to contribute to peace, security and stability in both the region and the wider world, she added. … [Read more...]

The spokesperson said Vietnam is deeply concerned about recent developments relating to the Korean peninsula and the missile launch by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on May 14, which violated resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. The country's consistent stance is to support all efforts to promote dialogue and maintain peace, and stability on the Korean peninsula. This is a shared responsibility of all countries. Vietnam asked other nations to seriously comply with the UN related resolutions and take constructive actions to contribute to peace, security and stability in both the region and the wider world, she added. … [Read more...]

Moon Jae-in was sworn in as new South Korean president on Wednesday and soon after an inaugural ceremony, he appointed new prime minister, intelligence agency chief, presidential chief of staff and chief of the presidential security. Lee Nak-yon, an incumbent governor of South Jeolla province, was named as the first prime minister of the Moon government. Lee, 65, is a former journalist who entered politics in 2000 and served as a four-term lawmaker. He worked as spokesman for late liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. He was elected in 2014 as the provincial governor. The prime minister nominee will be subject to the parliamentary hearing, requiring a parliamentary ratification to take office. Im Jong-seok, 51, was named as presidential chief of staff. He is a two-term lawmaker who served as chief of staff for Moon's campaign team in the presidential race. Im is a famous student activist in 1980s who visited a students' festival held in 1989 in Pyongyang, capital of the … [Read more...]

Kim Hak Song, who worked for the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, is the fourth American to be held by North Korea amid heightened diplomatic tensions with Washington. North Korea said on Sunday it has detained another U.S. citizen on suspicion of "hostile acts" against the state, which would make him the fourth American to be held by the isolated country amid heightened diplomatic tensions with Washington. Kim Hak Song, who worked for the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, was detained on Saturday, the North's KCNA news agency said. "A relevant institution of the DPRK detained American citizen Kim Hak Song on May 6 under a law of the DPRK on suspension of his hostile acts against it," KCNA said. DPRK is short for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name. A third U.S. citizen, Kim Sang Dok, who was associated with the same school, was detained in late April for hostile acts, according to the North's official media. The … [Read more...]

The accusation came as tension on the Korean peninsula remains high. North Korea on Friday accused the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and South Korea's intelligence service of a plot to attack its "supreme leadership" with a bio-chemical weapon and said such a "pipe-dream" could never succeed. Tension on the Korean peninsula has been high for weeks, driven by concern that North Korea might conduct its sixth nuclear test or test-launch another ballistic missile in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Reclusive North Korea warned this week that U.S. hostility had brought the region to the brink of nuclear war. The North's Ministry of State Security released a statement saying "the last-ditch effort" of U.S. "imperialists" and the South had gone "beyond the limits". "The Central Intelligence Agency of the U.S. and the Intelligence Service (IS) of south Korea, hotbed of evils in the world, hatched a vicious plot to hurt the supreme leadership of the DPRK and those acts … [Read more...]

To avoid heated discussions of sensitive issues, the host Russia has selected three issues to put on the summit agenda, namely energy security, the control of contagious diseases and improvements in education quality. According to Russian Foreign Minister Segey Lavrov, the three issues had received support from the Group Eight as well as from the international community. A joint effort to deal with the three main issues is expected to have practical impact on the quality and living conditions of current and future generations. The meeting takes place at a time when the world has been witnessing numerous complicated changes, including massive bomb blasts in Iraq, escalated tension between Palestine and Israel, the Iranian nuclear issue and the recent missile test-fires by the Democratic People Republic of Korea. Therefore, these thorny issues will be brought up at the summit. And Russia will certainly have to drive the meeting in a way to dwell on existing differences. For example, … [Read more...]

Analysts say the latest developments on the Korean peninsular cast no doubt on the possibility of fulfilling the goal of denuclearising the peninsular in the future. Though few details of these developments were disclosed, shuttle diplomacy with the participation of US envoy Christopher Hill and IAEA official Olli Heinonen and the upcoming visit to Pyongyang by newly-appointed Foreign Minister of China Yang Jiechi has demonstrated the friendliest atmosphere between concerned parties since the nuclear standoff. Over the past five years, Christopher Hill has been the top US official to conduct negotiations in Pyongyang as a gesture of goodwill towards cooperation. And now Mr Heinonen’s visit marks the first return to Pyongyang by IAEA officials after they were expelled from the country in 2002 due to differences on the nuclear issue. The positive moves on the Korean peninsular show the great efforts and goodwill of concerned parties, particularly the US and the Democratic … [Read more...]

On October 16, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nong Duc Manh left Hanoi for an official visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) at the invitation of Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Korean Workers’ Party and Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the DPRK. The visit is considered an important event in the friendship and cooperation between the two countries. For Vietnam, the DPRK is a country rich in cultural identity and resilient in the struggle for national sovereignty and a peaceful and unified Korea. Situated in north-eastern Asia, the DPRK is not a large country (122,000 km2) with a population of nearly 24 million. The country is abundant in rare and precious minerals such as iron ore and coloured metals. Immediately after the day of establishment, the DPRK defined the economic development guidelines of independence and self-reliance. As a result, from 1960-1990, the DPRK obtained some significant achievements … [Read more...]

Her term, due to begin in February, will face the challenges of an economic downturn and tensions on the Korean peninsula. Park won the presidential election with the RoK economy at its lowest level in three years. Foreign investment, especially from the Eurozone, has plunged. The Central Bank of Korea recently lowered the economic growth rate to 2.4 percent from the previous estimation of three percent. The economy is expected to continue its downward trend next year as the real estate market falls and the unemployment rate among young people increases. The income gap between the rich and the poor has widened. The number of households living near the poverty line has increased 10 percent since 2006. Territorial disputes with Japan and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)’s nuclear issues remain, particularly after Pyongyang just launched a satellite. Analysts say the two Koreas’ relations have deteriorated during the incumbent president Lee … [Read more...]

An 11-day joint military exercise between the US and the Republic of Korea, codenamed “Key resolve” and involving 13,000 soldiers as well as warplanes, and guided-missile destroyers was denounced by Pyongyang as a Seoul invasion backed by the US. The annual exercise is taking place simultaneously with another US-RoK joint military exercise, Foal Eagle, which began on March 1 and will last 2 months. UN spokesman Martin Nesirky says the armistice on the Korean peninsula doesn’t allow unilateral withdrawal. (Photo: UN) In retaliation, Pyongyang on March 11 unilaterally announced it was canceling the Armistice that was signed to end the Korean war in 1953. The Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the Workers’ Party of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, confirmed that Pyongyang has readied its weapons for war and has cut off a Red Cross hotline with Seoul. During visits to border artillery units on March 11, leader Kim Jong-un threatened to … [Read more...]

Obama’s trip takes place when the Chinese-Japanese relations have been tensed; Japan and the Republic of Korea are on disputes over sea and islands sovereignty; and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has continuously test fired missiles in retaliation to the joint military drills between the US and the Republic of Korea. In addition, the Ukrainian crisis, the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, and the Syrian civil war have distracted the US’ policy towards Asia. Confirming the US’s rebalancing to Asia-Pacific strategy Prior to the trip, Senior Director for Asian Affairs of the National Security Council Evan Medeiros confirmed the US full commitments to Asia-Pacific. He said it’s not for political purposes but the protection of the US’ economic and defense interests in this region. Obama has busy working schedules in 4 Asian countries, particularly in its two strategic partners of Japan and the RoK. Japan is the first stop of Obama’s tour. He is … [Read more...]

Speaking to reporters following the talks, Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said they agreed to push ahead with negotiations toward a resolution of the wartime sex slaves issue. It has confirmed both countries’ effort to improve bilateral ties. In term of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ( DPRK)'s nuclear and missile tests, Abe said it’s a common concern for the US, Japan, and South Korea and they will work closely to resolve the challenge. He committed to cooperating with President Park to boost bilateral ties. President Park in turn said the talks illustrated both sides’ willingness to resolve historical problems and created an opportunity for them. … [Read more...]

At the meeting with the WFDY Chairman, Tiago Viera, the First Secretary confirmed that Vietnam will do its best to fulfill its role as a member of WFDY and actively contribute to the success of the festival. The country will also undertake throughout preparations for the WFDY meeting in Hanoi in 2011. The WFDY Chairman praised Vietnam for the role it played in the youth movements in recent years and expressed his wish to visit Vietnam next year. The Vietnamese First Secretary also met with leaders of delegations from Cuba and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Speaking with the Vietnamese delegation, the First Secretary of the Cuban Youth Union, Liudmila Duenas, said that besides the activities of the 17th WFYS, her delegation will join the campaign demaniding the release of five Cuban soldiers currently kept in the US prisons. The leaders of both the DPRK and Vietnamese delegations said that the 17th WFYS will further promote the two countries’ traditional … [Read more...]

Tet is a time for family members to gather and despite living far away or being very busy people often return to their homeland during the holiday. Both the dead and the living come back to their home. Rural people often set up the branch of a tree with several bamboo leaves and red cotton to guide souls of dead return home. Some people cannot return home for Tet for various reasons but they still celebrate the holiday in their foreign countries. I think of my friends who are living abroad. Kim Ngan, owner of the Ngan Tinh restaurant in Sveril City in Germany, says she remembers Tet at home but she cannot return so she celebrates with some other Vietnamese people there. Although they have everything there they cannot have a truly full Tet so far away from home. Her feeling echoes that of most overseas Vietnamese. Tet abroad is very boring as it is only a normal day for foreigners. I do not know how Vietnamese people in Germany, the US and France celebrate Tet but I remember … [Read more...]

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung praised the responsibility of the working group and the advisor board over the past three years for joining hands to work towards administrative reforms which have gained some positive results. For the first time, a national database on the administrative process was established, making Vietnam one of the top ten countries in implementing the administrative reform. The Deputy Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to domestic and international experts, organisations, staff and especially the businesses and people that have paid attention to the issue and supported the Government. He said that administrative reform is a good policy, a breakthrough towards building a transparent, united, effective and efficient system to fight corruption and strengthen the capacity of the administration. It shows the country’s nature to serve the interests of the people and businesses through the course of development. Mr. Hung noted … [Read more...]

During the meeting, Hoa said the DPRK delegation’s visit is an opportunity for the two Women’s Unions to exchange experience in women union’s work for equality, development and social progress of women. The visit is expected to help further boost the traditional relations between the two unions, she said. Hoa briefed her guest on her union’s activities, including preparations for the 11th National Women’s Congress scheduled in March 2012. For her part, Ro Song Sil also informed the Vietnamese side of major women’s campaigns to be launched in 2012 to celebrate the 100th birthday of the late President Kim Il-sung and the 80th founding anniversary of the DPRK people’s army. Earlier, a delegation from the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) paid a visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at the invitation of the General Federation of Trade Union of Korea (GFTUK). The Vietnamese delegation, led by VGCL Chairman Dang Ngoc … [Read more...]

The session discussed issues related to civil rights, politics, economics, culture, social affairs and development. The session included a meeting on safety of journalists and three dialogues with 10 rapporteurs and special UN experts on human rights issues of the international community’s concern such as right to health, right to food, poverty reduction, anti human trafficking, elimination of violence against women, corporate responsibility for human rights. Speaking at the session, the Vietnamese delegation highlighted the progress Vietnam has made in building legal institutions and implementing policies and strategies relating to the rights of the people, especially social groups in need of protection such as women, children and victims of human trafficking. The delegation also reaffirmed its determination to fully and properly implement its voluntary commitments as a UNHCR member and proposed solutions for protecting and promoting human rights, especially the rights … [Read more...]

Two gold medals went to Vu Xuan Trung from Thai Binh province and Nguyen The Hoan from Hanoi while three silver medals were presented to Hoang Anh Tai from Nghe An province, Nguyen Tuan Hai Dang from Hanoi and Nguyen Huy Hoang from HCM City. Vietnam ranked fifth among 106 participating teams, trailed by the US, China, the Republic of Korea (RoK) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). This is also the highest result of Vietnam in recent years as the country ranked 9th in 2012, 7th in 2013 and 10th in 2014. … [Read more...]

They discussed a number of issues relating to the fight against terrorism, trans-national crime and prevention of weapons of destruction, as well as measures to cope with natural disasters and contagious diseases such as HIV/AIDS. To fight terrorism effectively, the leaders said it is imperative to promote exchanges of culture and civilisation, strengthen regional cooperation on security and focus on hunger and poverty reduction. At a dinner hosted by Finish President Tarja Halonen, leaders of the two continents exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, focusing on the new developments between Asia and Europe, conflicts in Lebanon, East Timor and the nuclear crisis in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. There are three more closed sessions during the two-day summit. They are “Globalisation and Competitiveness”, “Dialogue among Cultures and Civilisations” and “The Future of ASEM”.Vietnamese Prime Minister … [Read more...]