AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

Kim Hye In
  • Vietnamese Media Spotlight South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s State Visit
    Vietnamese Media Spotlight South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s State Visit South Korean President Lee Jae-myung arrived in Hanoi on the evening of the 21st to begin his visit to Vietnam, drawing prominent play across major Vietnamese news sites. Vietnam News Agency (TTXVN), Thanh Niên, Tuổi Trẻ, Vietnam+ and VnEconomy all led their homepages with Lee’s arrival, reflecting strong local interest. Thanh Niên highlighted that the trip is Lee’s first state visit to Vietnam since taking office, and said he is the first foreign head of state to visit since Vietnam’s 16th National Assembly completed a leadership reshuffle. State-run TTXVN posted six photos of Lee and first lady Kim Hye-kyung arriving at Noi Bai airport and reported in detail on the welcoming officials, including Nguyen Minh Vu, first vice minister of foreign affairs; Vu Dai Thang, chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee; and Vu Ho, Vietnam’s ambassador to South Korea. Vietnam+ detailed the makeup of Lee’s delegation, listing senior officials including Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon, who also serves as minister of science and ICT; Foreign Minister Cho Hyun; Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan; and Land Minister Kim Yoon-deok, as well as Ha Jung-woo, senior secretary for AI future planning. The outlet also carried a biographical profile of Lee, saying he earned a law degree from Chung-Ang University, passed the bar exam in 1986, and later served as mayor of Seongnam, governor of Gyeonggi Province, a lawmaker and leader of the Democratic Party before becoming president. Tuổi Trẻ focused on the visit’s diplomatic significance. Citing an exclusive interview the previous day with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, the outlet reported that “this meeting will be a historic milestone that strengthens the close relationship and trust between the two countries’ top leaders.” It also highlighted that Lee is accompanied by leading South Korean business chiefs, including SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, who also heads the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong; Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun; LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo; HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Chung Ki-sun; and Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon. Business outlet VnEconomy gave the most extensive treatment to the visit’s economic implications, quoting Ambassador Vu Ho as calling it “a strategic anchor” for a new stage of bilateral ties. The outlet said South Korea is Vietnam’s largest foreign investor, with cumulative registered investment of about $85 billion to $90 billion, and estimated two-way trade last year at $90 billion to $95 billion. VnEconomy said a key agenda item is shifting cooperation from capital- and labor-dependent ties toward technology and innovation centered on semiconductors, artificial intelligence and advanced industries. Vu Ho was quoted as saying that if the two countries move “from economic cooperation to structured economic integration,” the goal of $150 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 is achievable. The outlet added that, with Vietnam set to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit next year on Phu Quoc, discussions are expected on strengthening cooperation with South Korea—which it said successfully hosted the APEC summit in Gyeongju last year—in the digital economy, green growth and sustainable supply chains.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 09:42:21
  • Vietnam Domestic Airfares Surge Ahead of April 30-May 1 Holiday Break
    Vietnam Domestic Airfares Surge Ahead of April 30-May 1 Holiday Break 연휴(4월 30일과 5월 1일)를 며칠 앞둔 베트남에서 국내선 항공권 시장이 성수기 정점에 진입한 것으로 나타났다. 일부 노선은 2026년 설(뗏) 연휴 수준에 근접했고, 인기 노선은 이코노미석이 조기 매진되기도 했다. 21일(현지 시각) 베트남 뚜오이째(Tuoi Tre)에 따르면 4월 25일~29일 호찌민~하노이 노선 편도 이코노미석은 항공사에 따라 360만~420만 동(약 20만~23만 원)으로 집계됐다. 이는 2026년 설 연휴 당시와 비슷한 수준이며, 지난해 같은 기간보다 8~10% 높다. 관광 노선도 고가를 유지하고 있다. 4월 29일 기준 호찌민~다낭 편도는 180만~320만 동(약 10만~18만 원), 하노이~다낭은 210만~380만 동(약 11만~21만 원) 수준이다. 특히 '베트남의 제주도'로 불리는 푸꾸옥은 이번 연휴 최고 인기 여행지로 꼽히며, 성수기 피크 날짜의 직항편은 이코노미석이 상당수 매진됐다. 이 때문에 일정에 맞추려는 여행객들은 편도 약 500만 동에 달하는 경유편을 선택해야 하는 상황도 나오고 있다. ◆ Demand spread eases ticket crunch, but late-holiday return flights tighten 항공사들은 비용 변동을 이유로 운임을 올렸지만, 여행 수요는 여전히 높다는 분석이 나왔다. 다만 올해는 수요가 연휴 첫날과 마지막 날에 쏠리지 않고 기간 전반에 분산되면서, 과거처럼 운항 시스템에 부담이 급격히 집중되는 현상은 줄었다는 설명이다. 실제로 25일, 26일, 29일, 30일 출발편은 호찌민과 하노이 출발 다수 노선에서 예약률이 낮고 빈 좌석도 상당수 남아 있는 것으로 나타났다. 베트남 국내선 중 가장 붐비는 호찌민~하노이 노선도 탑승률이 20~40%에 그쳐, 예년 주요 연휴보다 낮은 수치를 기록했다. 다만 호찌민~꼰다오, 하노이~뚜이화, 동허이 등 일부 노선은 공급 좌석이 제한적인 데다 운임도 크게 오르면서 탑승률 90% 이상을 기록했다. 반면 연휴 후반으로 갈수록 가격 상승 압력이 커지고 있다. 5월 2일과 3일 지방에서 호찌민과 하노이로 돌아오는 귀경편은 피크 시간대를 중심으로 좌석이 빠르게 줄고 있으며, 일부 항공편은 이코노미석이 이미 매진돼 더 비싼 좌석만 남아 있다. 4월 30일과 5월 1일은 베트남의 대표적인 연휴다. 4월 30일은 1975년 북베트남군이 사이공(현 호찌민시)을 함락하며 베트남 전쟁이 끝난 날로, '남부 해방 기념일(통일절)'로 기념된다. 이튿날 5월 1일은 국제 노동절이다. 두 공휴일이 이어지고, 올해는 일정상 4월 30일(목)부터 5월 3일(일)까지 나흘 연속 휴무가 형성돼 전국적으로 교통과 숙박 수요가 집중되는 시기가 되고 있다. 한편, 최근 유가 영향으로 항공권 가격이 오르자 온라인에는 베트남 누리꾼들의 반응이 이어졌다. 한 누리꾼은 "올여름엔 해외여행 대신 교외 별장을 손보러 가겠다"고 했고, 또 다른 누리꾼은 "미국은 아무 문제없으니 걱정할 것 없다"고 말했다. "지구가 이미 자원 한계에 도달한 것 아니냐"는 냉소적인 반응도 나왔다. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-21 20:54:22
  • Consul General Jeong: Vietnam a Key Partner for Peace on the Korean Peninsula
    Consul General Jeong: Vietnam a Key Partner for Peace on the Korean Peninsula President Lee Jae-myung is to make a state visit to Vietnam from April 21 to 24. With South Korea now Vietnam’s largest investor, the trip is expected to be a turning point for expanding cooperation into advanced sectors such as semiconductor supply chains, artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing. Consul General Jeong Jeong-tae in Ho Chi Minh City said he also hopes Vietnam will play a role beyond economic ties, including in security, defense and efforts related to peace on the Korean Peninsula. In an interview published Tuesday local time by Vietnam’s Tuoi Tre newspaper, Jeong said the visit comes as Vietnam’s new leadership is being consolidated and “clearly shows the high level of political trust and the maturity of relations” between the two countries. He called it “an important milestone” for setting a future direction for cooperation, not simply a diplomatic event. ◆ Investment tops $95 billion; cooperation shifts to quality Jeong said cooperation has been moving from quantitative growth to higher-quality collaboration since the relationship was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022. South Korea is Vietnam’s largest investor, with cumulative investment exceeding $95 billion. He said cooperation in southern Vietnam, centered on Ho Chi Minh City, has been widening into research and development, smart manufacturing, AI, fintech and digital platforms. He added that expanding cooperation in security, defense and public order also reflects the deepening relationship. As global supply chains are reshaped and digital transformation accelerates, Jeong said securing supply-chain stability and strengthening digital competitiveness are directly tied to both countries’ economic security. He said the comprehensive strategic partnership framework could support discussions on specific cooperation programs. Jeong said he hopes cooperation will expand from semiconductor supply chains to joint research, workforce training and digital infrastructure development in key technologies such as AI, data and smart manufacturing. He also said both sides could promote business exchanges and investment cooperation in startups and innovation ecosystems to find new growth engines. ◆ “Vietnam is a reliable partner for peace on the Korean Peninsula” Jeong said that amid instability in the Middle East and a more complex international environment, the two countries are continuing to pursue shared goals of peace, stability and sustainable development. He said they have worked closely through multilateral frameworks including ASEAN and will keep cooperating to uphold a rules-based international order and strengthen regional cooperation. Jeong noted Vietnam’s experience hosting U.S.-North Korea summits, calling it a trusted partner in the international community. He said he hopes Vietnam will “contribute positively” to efforts for peace on the Korean Peninsula, adding that he believes Vietnam can be an excellent partner in pursuing peaceful coexistence and shared development based on trust. He said he hopes President Lee’s visit will help make those efforts more concrete and lift bilateral ties to a new level. Jeong, who took office in February, has worked for 15 years as a lawyer in Ho Chi Minh City, supporting South Korean companies entering Vietnam. His past roles include head of the Vietnam office of law firm Jipyong, an operating committee member of the Korean Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, and an advisory lawyer to the Ho Chi Minh City office of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency. He said he aims to attract more South Korean companies to Vietnam and build a model of shared growth with Vietnam as a partner between nations.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-21 18:22:00