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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held talks with To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and hosted a welcome banquet last year, the Korean Central News Agency reported on the 10th. / Yonhap News

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory message on the 2nd to To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and State President, marking Vietnam's 81st National Day. Regardless of U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated overtures for dialogue between North Korea and the U.S., the move is seen as part of Pyongyang's broader effort to build a bloc through reinforced diplomacy with the Global South while securing diplomatic and economic interests.

According to the Korean Central News Agency that day, Kim expressed confidence in his message to Lam that "the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between our two parties and two countries will expand and develop in accordance with the spirit of the agreements reached during the Pyongyang meeting in October last year," adding his wishes for Lam to "achieve even greater success in the responsible work of leading the party and the state." During their summit in Pyongyang in October of last year, the two sides agreed to consolidate their traditional friendship and elevate bilateral ties to a new height.

Experts assess that as North Korea extends its traditional non-aligned diplomacy into engagement with the Global South, it is focusing particularly on Vietnam among Southeast Asian nations. Vietnam is an economically developed country in the region that shares a similar one-party socialist system with North Korea, offering ample common ground for exchanges and cooperation as well as room for Pyongyang to reap practical gains.

North Korea has placed significant emphasis on its ties with Vietnam since resuming diplomatic activities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The two nations declared last year, which marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, the "Year of DPRK-Vietnam Friendship." During foreign ministerial talks held in May, both sides agreed to safeguard socialism, deepen multifaceted exchanges and cooperation, and bolster strategic communication, mutual support, and cooperation in foreign policy. In June, ministerial-level talks on public security and law enforcement were also held in Pyongyang, where officials exchanged achievements and experience in relevant fields while discussing ways to cooperate on public order and social security ahead of border reopenings and increased personnel exchanges.

According to Seo Bo-hyuk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), out of 51 diplomatic interactions North Korea engaged in with the Global South between September 2023 and June of this year following the pandemic, diplomacy toward Vietnam accounted for 10 instances, making up the largest share.

Analysts point out that North Korea is dedicating substantial effort to the Global South, including Vietnam, having bitterly experienced diplomatic failures with the West, such as the 2019 Hanoi summit with the U.S. Through this approach, North Korea seeks to evade Western pressure and sanctions while enhancing its international standing. Strengthening solidarity with Southeast Asian nations like Vietnam that have achieved economic development also reveals Pyongyang's intention to secure practical economic benefits.

"North Korea harbors multifaceted intentions, including easing its reliance on major-power diplomacy closely tied to China and Russia," said Seo Bo-hyuk, senior research fellow at KINU. "In particular, ASEAN nations' characteristic tradition of neutral multilateral diplomacy and non-aligned, neutral sentiment work to North Korea's advantage."

                                                                                                            Mok Yong-jae