Journalist
Lee Hugh
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Price Caps Fuel Seoul Subscription Frenzy as Buyers Chase Big Gains Seoul apartment complexes subject to South Korea’s pre-sale price cap are setting new subscription records, as buyers rush to projects seen as offering large gains over market prices. Demand has surged not only in Gangnam but also in Ichon-dong, a long-established upscale neighborhood north of the Han River, reinforcing Seoul’s dominance in the national pre-sale market. According to the Korea Real Estate Board’s Cheongyak Home platform, the first-round subscription for “Ichon Le El” in Ichon-dong, Yongsan-gu, drew 10,528 applications for 78 units, an average competition rate of 134.9 to 1. By unit type, the 100-square-meter homes were most sought after at 254.1 to 1, followed by 106 square meters (181.9 to 1), 122 square meters (66.7 to 1) and 118 square meters (50.5 to 1). The special supply round earlier also signaled strong demand, with 1,465 applicants for 10 units, or 146.5 to 1. The project is being supplied through the remodeling of Ichon Hyundai Apartments and is LOTTE E&C’s first “Le El” branded complex in northern Seoul. The complex comprises nine buildings from three basement levels to 27 stories above ground, totaling 750 households. The price-cap rules were cited as a key draw. The pre-sale price for the 122-square-meter units is 3.155 billion won to 3.304 billion won. Nearby, a 124-square-meter unit at Raemian Caelitus traded for 4.45 billion won in January, prompting analysis that winners could secure at least 1 billion won in gains. In southern Seoul, “Otyer Banpo” in Jamwon-dong, Seocho-gu, also posted heavy demand in its special supply round, with 15,505 applications for 43 units, an average of 360.6 to 1. By category, 6,797 applied under the first-time homebuyer track, 6,045 under newlyweds and 2,470 under multi-child households. The 59-square-meter Type B recorded 434.4 to 1. Otyer Banpo, located in Seocho-gu, is directly covered by the price-cap system. Its 84-square-meter units are priced at 2.5015 billion won to 2.7565 billion won. A nearby Maple Xi 84-square-meter occupancy right traded for 5.65 billion won in November, leading to estimates of roughly 3 billion won in potential gains. The project is also a post-sale development and the first to use POSCO E&C’s high-end “Otyer” brand, and it is near Banpo Station and the Wonchon elementary and middle school district, factors that helped drive what the industry described as near indiscriminate demand. Fears of a shortage of new supply in Seoul are also concentrating demand into subscription accounts. Real estate information firm RealToday said first-round applicants for nine Seoul projects this year totaled 102,118, more than double the combined total for non-Seoul areas over the same period, at 48,873. The surge is also reflected in record-high point scores. This year, “Acro The Seocho” in Seocho-gu posted an average first-round competition rate of 1,099.1 to 1 and produced another perfect 84-point subscription account just seven months after the previous one, a score typically requiring top conditions such as at least 15 years without owning a home. The pre-sale industry said capped-price projects, offered below market levels, are increasingly viewed as a last chance to build wealth, drawing large numbers of high-score applicants into the market. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 05:04:40 -
POSCO E&C to Sell 2,857-Unit The Sharp Geomdan Lake Park in Incheon in May POSCO E&C said it will begin sales in May for “The Sharp Geomdan Lake Park,” a large apartment complex in Blocks 22 and 23 of Geomdan New Town in Incheon. It will be the first “The Sharp” branded apartments supplied in Geomdan New Town, with 1,454 units in Block 22 and 1,403 in Block 23, for a total of 2,857 households. Units will be offered in 59 square meters and 84 square meters of exclusive area, sizes popular with buyers. The project will be supplied as private sales on public land, meaning the price cap system will apply. The company expects pricing to be competitive compared with nearby market levels, drawing interest from end-users in the Seoul metropolitan area. The complex is near Geomdan Lake Park and Najinpo Stream, offering easy access to waterfront space. The company cited examples in major new towns such as Songdo, Cheongna and Gwanggyo, where housing near lake parks has helped lead local residential values, and said expectations are high for a comfortable living environment. POSCO E&C also highlighted transportation access, saying residents can walk to Wanjeong Station on Incheon Subway Line 2 and Geomdan Lake Park Station on Incheon Subway Line 1. It said the Incheon International Airport Expressway and the Seoul Metropolitan Area First and Second Ring Expressways provide broad road connections, making travel to central Seoul and key hubs across the region more convenient. The company added that a recently opened connector road between Geomdan and Dream Road has further improved access toward the Gyeyang area. Further transit expansion is also anticipated. POSCO E&C said nearby Singeomdanjungang Station is expected to improve access to Seoul as plans move forward to extend Seoul Subway Line 5. For education, the company said sites for a kindergarten and future elementary and middle schools are planned near the complex, and residents can also use the private academy district around Majeon Station. A real estate industry official said demand tends to concentrate on complexes that combine brand recognition, large scale and a waterfront location. A model home for “The Sharp Geomdan Lake Park” is planned in the Wondang-dong area of Seo-gu, Incheon.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 05:04:17 -
Hyundai Engineering to Sell Hillstate Guwol Art Park Apartments in Incheon in April Hyundai Engineering said it plans to begin sales this month for Hillstate Guwol Art Park, a new apartment complex in Incheon. The project will include four towers ranging from six basement levels to as high as 39 stories, with 496 units in 84 and 101 square meters (exclusive-use area). The complex will be directly connected to Arts Center Station on Incheon Subway Line 1. Incheon City Hall Station, one stop away and a transfer point for Lines 1 and 2, is slated to have a stop on the GTX-B line linking Songdo and Maseok. The developer said it will apply a “curtain wall look” exterior design and focus on south-facing layouts. All units will use a four-bay, flat-plan design, and most will feature cross-ventilation (excluding some units) to improve daylight, airflow and openness. By unit type, plans include entryway and hallway pantries, powder rooms and dressing rooms. With the planned GTX-B opening, residents using Arts Center Station would be able to reach major central Seoul areas such as Yeouido and Seoul Station in about 20 to 30 minutes, the company said. The complex sits in front of Central Park, about 350,000 square meters, and is near Seunghaksan and Incheon Aetteul, offering access to both city amenities and green space. Nearby facilities include Lotte Department Store’s Incheon branch, the Guwol-dong Rodeo Street shopping area and Gachon University Gil Medical Center. The project also plans a large on-site commercial facility of about 6,337 pyeong. Large-scale development is also underway around the site. The Incheon Urban Development Corp. is developing about 2.2 million square meters in the Guwol-dong area under the Guwol I-City project. Plans call for about 16,000 households and more than 39,000 residents, along with a mixed-use space combining culture and startups and a health care-focused city. A model home for Hillstate Guwol Art Park will be set up at 1547-1, Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon, and is scheduled to open in April. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 05:03:54 -
SKC, Hanwha Solutions Face Diverging Risks in Major Stock Offerings SKC and Hanwha Solutions have launched large rights offerings to fund future growth, but uncertainty is rising over whether the deals will succeed as SKC faces a share-price slide and Hanwha Solutions awaits a financial regulator’s review. Industry officials said Tuesday that SKC is pursuing a 1 trillion won offering, but recent volatility has raised concerns that the final offering price could come in lower than expected, reducing proceeds. SKC plans to invest 590 billion won of the funds in its glass substrate business and use 410 billion won to repay debt. The company expects its debt-to-equity ratio to fall to about 142% from 233% after the offering, though the extent of improvement and the pace of investment will depend on how much money is ultimately raised. Some investors worry that a lower issue price would shrink funding and force cuts to investment in future businesses such as glass substrates. SKC shares, which had traded in the 100,000-won range, fell to the 80,000-won range after the offering was announced. The first issue price was set at 70,600 won per share. The company will set a second issue price by applying a 20% discount to the May 11 share price, then finalize the lower of the two as the issue price. Hanwha Solutions’ offering was reduced to 1.8 trillion won from 2.4 trillion won after the Financial Supervisory Service on April 9 requested revisions to its securities registration statement. The company adjusted planned debt repayment to 900 billion won from 1.5 trillion won. The number of new shares also fell to 56 million from 72 million, lowering the dilution rate to 24.6% from 29.5%. Still, uncertainty remains until the regulator completes its review and the schedule is finalized. Hanwha Solutions held an investor relations session for analysts Monday to explain why it says the offering is unavoidable. The company said it has carried out about 3.9 trillion won in balance-sheet improvements through noncore asset sales and equity-like financing, and reiterated that additional self-help measures are limited. Both companies cite future growth as the rationale. SKC plans to expand its semiconductor materials business centered on glass substrates as it accelerates a portfolio shift. Hanwha Solutions aims to ease financial strain amid a weak solar market while pursuing mid- to long-term investments including its U.S. “Solar Hub.” Some investors, however, have criticized the offerings as using shareholder money to pay down company debt. Lee Chang-min, a professor of business administration at Hanyang University, said, “A recurring problem in recent rights offerings by Korean companies is that explanations of the need for funding and reviews of alternatives are not sufficient,” adding, “In particular, it is hard to view positively a structure in which a large portion of the funds is used for debt repayment.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 05:03:27 -
Daewoo E&C to Launch 'Summit The Hill' Redevelopment Complex in Seoul’s Heukseok New Town Daewoo Engineering & Construction said it will supply a large-scale apartment complex, Summit The Hill, in May in a key section of Seoul’s Heukseok New Town redevelopment area, using its high-end SUMMIT brand. The company said on the 13th it plans to offer the project through the Heukseok 11 housing redevelopment in the area around 304 Heukseok-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul. The complex will consist of 30 buildings ranging from six basement levels to 16 stories above ground, totaling 1,515 households with unit sizes of 39 to 150 square meters. Of those, 432 units sized 39 to 84 square meters will be offered for general sale. The site is considered a core location within Heukseok New Town in central Seoul. Residents will be able to walk to Heukseok Station on Seoul Subway Line 9, with travel to Yeouido and the Gangnam area possible in about 10 minutes. Nearby amenities include the Heukseok-dong commercial district and major retailers such as Shinsegae Department Store’s Gangnam branch, E-Mart’s Yongsan store and Lotte Mart’s Seocho store. Medical facilities including Chung-Ang University Hospital and Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital are also close by. Schools within walking distance include Chung-Ang University Elementary School, Seoul Eunnoro Elementary School, Chung-Ang University Middle School and Heukseok High School. Access to the Banpo and Bangbae private academy districts is also described as convenient. Daewoo E&C said the project will apply SUMMIT design features, including facade color design and a curtain-wall look. It said view-oriented planning will allow some households to see the Han River. Planned community facilities include an indoor swimming pool, sauna, fitness club, GX room and an indoor golf club, along with a sky lounge and guesthouse. The company also said it will add education and cultural spaces such as the “Heukseok Library,” a library cafe, private cinema, shared office and a daycare center. A model home will be set up at the Summit Gallery near 337 Yeongdong-daero in Seoul’s Gangnam-gu.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 05:03:00 -
Lee Says South Korea, Vietnam Aim for $150B Trade by 2030, Expand Nuclear and Infrastructure Cooperation President Lee Jae-myung said South Korea will support efforts to lift trade with Vietnam to $150 billion by 2030 and lay the groundwork to expand cooperation in nuclear power and infrastructure. Lee, on a state visit to Vietnam after traveling to India, made the remarks during a summit on April 22 (local time) with To Lam, the Communist Party’s general secretary and Vietnam’s state president. Lee said South Korea is “the best partner” for Vietnam’s vision of becoming a high-income advanced country by 2045. Vietnam is South Korea’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States. The two countries are each other’s top-three trading partners, and South Korea is Vietnam’s largest investor. Bilateral trade totaled $94.6 billion last year, a record high. South Korean investment in Vietnam through last year reached $56.8 billion, and about 10,000 South Korean companies operate there. South Korea’s key exports, including semiconductors and home appliances, are produced through a division of labor in which parts and materials are shipped from South Korea and finished goods are made in Vietnam. Lee said the summit would help deepen strategic economic cooperation and strengthen communication on an economic and security partnership, including energy, supply-chain stability and cooperation on critical minerals. The two sides exchanged 12 memorandums of understanding and cooperation documents spanning security and protection, digital, science and technology innovation, intellectual property, power infrastructure, water security, animal health and quarantine, culture, underwater cultural heritage, safety of food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and medical devices, nuclear power development, and financing cooperation for nuclear projects. According to a written briefing by presidential spokesperson Lee Kyu-yeon, the countries signed an MOU on safety cooperation for food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and medical devices. They also concluded quarantine talks on heat-treated poultry, which the briefing said would help expand access to Vietnam’s $4.3 billion imported pharmaceuticals market and its $11 billion meat market. They also signed an MOU to review cooperation possibilities in nuclear power development, including exploring options for new nuclear plants, jointly analyzing construction risks and supporting plans to optimize construction schedules. Lee said progress was also made on major national infrastructure projects expected to play a central role in Vietnam’s development, including the Dongnam new city and the new Tra Vinh airport. He added that “a contract is expected to be signed” for South Korea to export rail cars for Ho Chi Minh City’s urban rail system, saying he hoped the deal would contribute to improving Vietnam’s rail infrastructure. The leaders also agreed to build a mutually beneficial partnership to strengthen energy security and stabilize supply chains for critical minerals amid global uncertainty. Through a framework for a South Korea-Vietnam science and technology innovation cooperation master plan, the two sides will present a mid- to long-term vision for cooperation and expand support for training Vietnam’s future talent, including efforts aimed at easing labor shortages faced by South Korean companies operating there. In health care, the South Korean government plans to expand cooperation to strengthen Vietnam’s health capacity and improve access to medical services. It also plans to 추진 a “Central Region Emergency Medical System Strengthening Project” to significantly improve emergency care in Vietnam’s central region, described as medically underserved and frequently visited by South Koreans. The government also said it would support expanded cooperation in cultural industries and broader Korean-language education in Vietnam. During the visit, it plans to hold the “2026 Korea Culture and Tourism Expo,” linking Korean pop culture content with tourism promotion, and to support a “5 million mutual visits era” by boosting people-to-people exchanges, including tourism. Lee said South Korea and Vietnam upgraded ties in 2022, the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations, to a comprehensive strategic partnership and became key partners across all fields. He said the visit further developed the relationship in a more future-oriented and strategic direction. Spokesperson Lee said the state visit was part of “relay summit diplomacy” with ASEAN following trips this year to Singapore and the Philippines and the hosting of a state visit to South Korea by Indonesia’s president. He said the trip helped complete the best possible partnership with Vietnam across politics, the economy and culture. The summit with To Lam was the first state event hosted by Vietnam’s new leadership, which took office earlier this month, and came eight months after To Lam’s visit to South Korea in August last year. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 01:09:19 -
South Korea’s Lee, Vietnam’s To Lam trade greetings at state dinner in Hanoi "Xin chao." (President Lee Jae-myung) "Thank you." (To Lam, Vietnam’s party chief and state president) President Lee Jae-myung and To Lam, Vietnam’s Communist Party chief and state president, exchanged greetings in each other’s languages at a state dinner in Hanoi, setting a cordial tone for the event. Speaking at the dinner April 22 (local time) at the Hanoi International Convention Center, Lee said the two countries would deepen cooperation as “core global partners,” including in science and technology, innovation and digital transformation — areas Vietnam has identified as key drivers of future growth. Lee recalled first visiting Vietnam after Seongnam City and Thanh Hoa Province signed a friendship and cooperation memorandum of understanding in 2013. He said he saw Vietnam’s potential then and has been struck by how those “many possibilities” have since translated into remarkable development. Lee noted that this year marks 800 years since Prince Yi Yong-sang of Vietnam’s Ly dynasty settled in Goryeo. He said ties that began with small exchanges have grown into a close relationship, with about 5 million people traveling between the two countries each year. He pointed to “more than 10,000” South Korean companies operating in Vietnam, “about 75,000” Vietnamese students studying at South Korean universities, and the lives of “100,000” South Korea-Vietnam multicultural families as evidence of deepening bonds and trust. Lee urged both sides to work together so that friendship “grown” over centuries can yield benefits for the next generation. Citing a Vietnamese proverb — “100 rivers come together to form one sea” — he said South Korea’s Han River and Vietnam’s Red River “are connected here as one.” Lee said the visions and promises shared would become streams of cooperation that ultimately meet in “a great sea of shared prosperity,” pledging South Korea would remain a steadfast partner. He ended with a Vietnamese toast, “Chuc suc khoe,” meaning “to your health.” In his welcoming remarks, To Lam said the visit came as the Vietnam-South Korea comprehensive strategic partnership strengthens, political trust grows, and cooperation expands in the economy, trade, investment and science, alongside more active people-to-people exchanges. He said Vietnam recently successfully held its 14th Party Congress, elections for the 16th National Assembly, and elections for local councils for the 2026-2031 term. He described Lee as the first state guest to visit Vietnam since the official launch of the country’s new national and government leadership. To Lam said the relationship blends deep history, cultural similarities and strategic interests in a new era, adding that in more than 30 years since diplomatic ties were established, the partnership has advanced rapidly into a comprehensive strategic partnership based on high political trust and more practical, effective cooperation. He said Vietnam is currently South Korea’s largest economic partner in Southeast Asia and its third-largest trading partner. He added that South Korea is Vietnam’s top investor, its second-largest partner in development cooperation and tourism, and its third-largest partner in trade and labor. To Lam compared the friendship to fermented soybean paste that deepens in flavor over time, and cited sayings from both countries about the value of working together. He said cultural similarities, political trust and complementary economic development would help sustain cooperation toward a future of peace, stability, development and prosperity, contributing to peace and stability in the region and the world. Attendees at the state dinner included Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, POSCO Holdings Chairman Chang In-hwa, HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Chung Ki-sun, GS Chairman Huh Tae-soo, CJ Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik, Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-joon and Daewoo Engineering & Construction Chairman Jung Won-ju. 2026-04-23 00:06:22 -
Korea’s Homegrown AI Model Developers Deepen Ties With Nvidia Companies selected for the Science and ICT Ministry’s push to build an independent AI foundation model are expanding cooperation with Nvidia, accelerating efforts to broaden South Korea’s AI ecosystem. The partnerships aim to combine data, infrastructure and models to strengthen industry-specific AI competitiveness. LG AI Research said that on the 21st, co-head Lim Woo-hyung and EXAONE Lab head Lee Jin-sik met with Nvidia Vice President of Applied Research Brian Catanzaro and Nvidia Korea CEO Jung So-young at LG’s Magok office in Seoul to discuss next-generation AI model development and joint ecosystem-building strategies. The two sides agreed to widen cooperation by linking LG’s EXAONE with Nvidia’s Nemotron open ecosystem to jointly develop specialized models for professional fields. Building on collaboration from EXAONE 3.0 through the recently released multimodal model 4.5, they plan to increase integration across data, infrastructure and software. LG AI Research said it has improved training quality using Nemotron datasets, while Nvidia has supported training optimization and inference efficiency through its latest graphics processing units and tools such as the NeMo framework. LG AI Research said the results are reflected in Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence “AI Index Report.” It said South Korea ranked third among countries with notable AI models, and that four of the five models cited were from the EXAONE series. Telecom companies are also expanding cooperation. SK Telecom disclosed results of its AI model development work with Nvidia at “Nvidia Nemotron Developer Days Seoul 2026.” SK Telecom said it plans to use Nvidia solutions in developing “A.X K2,” a follow-up to “A.X K1,” which it introduced under the independent foundation model project. The company previously applied Nemotron datasets and related frameworks during training of A.X K1, a model with 519 billion parameters, to secure stability for large-scale distributed training. The two companies are holding technical consultations every two weeks to discuss infrastructure stability, performance improvements and optimization measures. In a panel discussion co-hosted by the ministry and Nvidia on the 21st, participating companies outlined shared priorities. Elice Group emphasized the need for “vertical AI” optimized for specific industries such as manufacturing and finance. Upstage said a key task is narrowing the gap between benchmark performance and real-world enterprise deployment. SK Telecom said it is focusing beyond early “performance verification” on commercialization suitable for real services and on improving inference efficiency. Motif Technologies said it is developing a 300B Mixture-of-Experts model and aims to narrow the gap with global big tech through efficiency-focused design rather than a race for scale alone. Still, concerns were raised about overreliance on an Nvidia-centered ecosystem. Motif CEO Lim Jeong-hwan said that when freedom to experiment with model architectures is critical, heavier dependence on Nvidia software could constrain independent innovation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 00:03:22 -
South Korea presidential security service signs protection MOU with Vietnam police ministry The Presidential Security Service said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security on April 22 (local time) to strengthen cooperation in protection and security, on the occasion of President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to Vietnam. PSS chief Hwang In-kwon and Vietnamese Public Security Minister Luong Tam Quang held the signing ceremony at the Presidential Palace, with Lee and To Lam, Vietnam’s Communist Party general secretary and state president, in attendance, the service said. Under the MOU, the two agencies agreed to step up cooperation on protection support during visits by the two countries’ heads of state, expand personnel exchanges, provide commissioned training and share protection-related information. Luong said the agreement shows mutual trust in security cooperation and voiced confidence that ties between the ministry and the PSS would deepen and produce tangible results. Hwang said he hopes the MOU will make a practical contribution to bilateral friendship, noting South Korea and Vietnam are in a “comprehensive strategic partnership.” He said he expects protection cooperation between the two agencies to advance to a deeper and more effective stage.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 23:33:17 -
Lee Says South Korea, Vietnam Aim for $150 Billion Trade by 2030, Expand Nuclear and Infrastructure Cooperation President Lee Jae-myung said South Korea will work with Vietnam to help reach $150 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 and to lay the groundwork for expanded cooperation in nuclear power and infrastructure. Lee, on a state visit to Vietnam after visiting India, made the remarks on April 22 during a summit with To Lam, the Communist Party general secretary and state president. “Korea is the best partner for realizing Vietnam’s vision of becoming a high-income advanced country by 2045,” Lee said. Vietnam is South Korea’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and the two countries are each other’s top-three trading partners. South Korea is also Vietnam’s largest investor, the article said. Bilateral trade totaled $94.6 billion last year, a record high. Through last year, South Korean investment in Vietnam totaled $56.8 billion, and about 10,000 South Korean companies operate there. In key export sectors such as semiconductors and home appliances, South Korea ships parts and materials and Vietnam produces finished goods, making Vietnam a key link in South Korea’s manufacturing value chain. Lee said the summit would help further upgrade strategic economic cooperation and strengthen communication on an economic and security partnership, including energy, supply-chain stability and cooperation on critical minerals. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding to review possible cooperation on nuclear power development, including support for exploring new nuclear plant construction, jointly analyzing construction risks and developing ways to optimize construction schedules. Lee also cited progress on major state-led infrastructure projects expected to play a central role in Vietnam’s development, including the Southeast New City and the Gia Binh new airport. He said a contract is expected to be signed to export South Korean railcars for Ho Chi Minh City’s urban rail system. “I hope this contract will contribute to improving Vietnam’s rail infrastructure,” Lee said. The leaders also agreed on building a mutually beneficial partnership to strengthen energy security and stabilize supply chains for critical minerals amid global uncertainty. Through a Korea-Vietnam science and technology innovation cooperation master plan framework, the two countries will present a mid- to long-term vision for cooperation and expand support for training Vietnam’s future talent, including efforts aimed at easing labor shortages faced by South Korean companies there. The government also said it will support broader cooperation in cultural industries and expand Korean-language education in Vietnam. During the visit, it plans to hold the “2026 Korea Culture and Tourism Festival,” linking Korean pop culture content with tourism promotion, and to support what it called an era of “5 million mutual visits” by boosting people-to-people exchanges, including tourism. Lee said that in 2022, marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties, South Korea and Vietnam elevated relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership and became key partners with wide-ranging cooperation. He said the visit further advanced the relationship in a more future-oriented and strategic direction. The summit was the first state visit hosted by Vietnam’s new leadership, which took office earlier this month, and came eight months after Lam’s visit to South Korea in August last year. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 23:24:18