President Lee Jae-myung invited To Lam, the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and his wife to the Blue House State Guesthouse for a state dinner on the 11th, expressing the willingness to deepen bilateral relations. Secretary General Lam is the first foreign head of state to visit Korea in a state capacity since President Lee Jae-myung took office.
During the dinner held in the afternoon, President Lee greeted in Vietnamese with "Xin chào" (hello) and emphasized, "Our Korea, which achieved the Miracle on the Han River, is the best partner for Vietnam, which is realizing the Miracle on the Hong River." He continued, "No matter how expensive peace is, it is better than war," and asked, "I hope Vietnam will join us on this journey." He led the dinner atmosphere by raising a toast in Vietnamese with "Chúc sức khỏe" (wishing you health).
In his response, Secretary General Lam said, "I sincerely thank you for your kind hospitality" and expressed hope that Korea would walk together with Vietnam during this new era as the Vietnamese people leap forward. He then extended a formal invitation for the President and First Lady to visit in a state capacity in the near future and raised a toast in Korean with "Thank you."
The dinner was attended by figures from the business community, including Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group; Chung Eui-sun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; Koo Kwang-mo, Chairman of LG Group; and Shin Dong-bin, Chairman of Lotte Group, along with Kang Ho-dong, Chairman of NongHyup; representatives from the financial sector; and executives from small and medium-sized enterprises. Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, was absent due to his schedule in the United States. Cultural and sports figures also attended, including Park Hang-seo, former coach of the Vietnamese national football team; actor Ahn Jae-wook; novelist Hwang In-kyung; and LCK player Tran Bao Minh, who is from Vietnam.
The dinner menu consisted of specialties from Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province, known for its ties with Vietnam. This was inspired by the history of the Lee family of Hwasan, descendants of the Vietnamese prince Lee Yong-sang, who settled in Bonghwa after the Korean War. Dishes included seafood salad with Bonghwa herbs, three-color rice rolls, and seasonal herring grilled with Bonghwa soybean paste sauce. The performance included pianist Yiruma, who was known to be a Korean musician that Secretary General Lam wanted to meet.
In the morning, Kim Hye-kyung, the First Lady, had a separate schedule with Secretary General Lam's wife, Ngo Phuong Li. They discussed human exchanges and later visited the National Museum of Korea to view the permanent exhibition together. Ms. Kim wore a pink hanbok, while Mrs. Ngo wore a yellow ao dai as they toured the exhibition hall, observing the gilt bronze Mireuksal Bodhisattva, the Uigyeonggak Royal Protocol, and the Seoktap of Gyeongcheonsaji.
The Presidential Office made special efforts for Secretary General Lam's visit because Vietnam is Korea's third-largest trading partner and a key partner country with significant growth potential. This context is similar to President Lee's instruction during a cabinet meeting in June to consider providing incentives to attract excellent talent in sectors such as AI from Vietnam.