Vietnam’s To Lam to Visit North Korea for Historic Meeting

Vietnam’s Communist Party chief, To Lam, will embark on a significant visit to North Korea from October 9 to 11, 2023. This marks the first trip by a Vietnamese leader to the isolated nation in nearly two decades. The visit coincides with a military parade on October 10 that celebrates the 80th anniversary of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, highlighting the importance of this diplomatic engagement.

The Vietnamese government confirmed the visit, stating it follows an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. According to Vietnam’s foreign ministry, Phan Van Giang, Vietnam’s defence minister, is expected to accompany Lam during this three-day diplomatic mission. The two nations have maintained a close relationship for 75 years, although they currently do not engage in direct trade, as noted by the Vietnamese embassy in Pyongyang.

This visit holds historical significance as the last time a Vietnamese leader visited North Korea was in 2007, when Nong Duc Manh, then head of the ruling Communist Party, made a similar trip. That meeting was particularly noteworthy as it was the first visit by a Vietnamese party chief since the late President Ho Chi Minh visited in 1957.

In recent years, interactions between the two countries have been limited to meetings involving lower-ranking officials, which resumed last year after a five-year hiatus. The Vietnamese embassy in North Korea has documented these meetings, indicating a gradual rekindling of diplomatic ties.

To Lam’s upcoming visit follows his trip to South Korea in August, where he became the first foreign leader welcomed by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung since his inauguration in June. This context underscores the complexity of diplomatic relations in the region, particularly as South Korea prepares for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, scheduled for October 29. At this summit, major figures, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, are expected to engage in significant discussions.

As Lam prepares for this historic visit, the implications of enhanced ties between Vietnam and North Korea remain to be seen. The significance of this meeting lies not only in its historical context but also in the potential for future cooperation between two nations with a shared ideological foundation.