By Byun Duk-kun
HANOI, Oct. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Minh Triet were set to upgrade the relationship between their countries to a "strategic partnership" in a bilateral summit to be held here later Wednesday.
The South Korean president arrived here Tuesday on a three-day visit, during which he will also hold talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and the secretary-general of Vietnam's Communist Party, Nong Duc Manh, on improving bilateral relations.
"South Korea-Vietnam relations have seen remarkable improvements since the countries established diplomatic ties in 1992," Lee said in an interview with Vietnam's state television network, VTV, broadcast Tuesday.
"We are seeing great cooperation between the countries in the economic sector, but we must deepen the trust and understanding between the peoples of the two countries if we will continue developing such a cooperative relationship," he added.
Lee and Triet will hold a joint press conference after their summit talks, where they were expected to formally announce the upgrading of the countries' relationship to a "strategic cooperative partnership."
The South Korean president's trip here came as part of a three-nation tour that will also take him to Cambodia and Thailand for the regional summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that will also be attended by the leaders of Japan and China.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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