PM attends state funeral of No. 1 Vietnamese official

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo attended the state funeral of Vietnam's highest-ranking official, Nguyen Phu Trong, in Hanoi on Thursday, his office said. Han left for Vietnam the previous day to attend the funeral of the general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam as a delegate of the South Korean government. After paying his respects at the funeral, Han held separate meetings with Vietnamese President To Lam and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and expressed his condolences to the bereaved family members and the Vietnamese people. Lom said he is grateful for President Yoon Suk Yeol's condolence message and the high-level condolence delegation led by Han, describing them as a demonstration of the special relationship between the two countries. He also noted the two countries have grown into the most trustable partners since establishing diplomatic relations some 30 years ago. Lom and Han agreed to continue to develop the comprehensive strategic partnership between their countries for their future joi nt prosperity. Chinh, meanwhile, thanked South Korea for its hospitality during his official visit to the country early this month, and called for expanding cooperation in various areas based on the political trust built through high-level exchanges. Chinh and Han agreed to cooperate closely to quickly and substantively implement the various issues discussed during their meeting in Seoul, including in trade, defense and cutting-edge industries. Source: Yonhap News Agency