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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 welcoming banquet last year, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on the 10th. / Yonhap News

A North Korean delegation led by Vice Minister of National Defence Ryo Chol-ung has departed Pyongyang for a visit to Vietnam. While maintaining close ties with Russia, North Korea has recently sought to build out its diplomatic bloc by restoring relations with China and stepping up outreach to the Global South. Vice Minister Ryo's trip to Vietnam is viewed as part of this foreign policy push, intended to broaden bilateral cooperation into the military and security realms.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on the 23rd, the North Korean delegation headed by Vice Minister Ryo departed Pyongyang on the 22nd. Officials from North Korea's Ministry of National Defence, alongside Vietnam's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to North Korea and the embassy's defense attache, were present at Pyongyang International Airport to see them off.

North Korea and Vietnam have recently dedicated significant effort to advancing bilateral relations following their summit held last year. On September 2, marking the 81st founding anniversary of Vietnam, leader Kim Jong Un sent a congratulatory message to To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and State President, stating, "I express my conviction that the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between our two countries will expand and develop in accordance with the spirit of the agreements reached during our Pyongyang meeting in October last year." The two sides held a summit in Pyongyang in October last year, where they agreed to consolidate and develop their traditional friendship.

Vietnam is a Southeast Asian nation that has achieved substantial economic growth while maintaining a socialist one-party system similar to North Korea's. Sharing numerous points of common ground to foster exchange and cooperation, North Korea appears to be focusing considerable diplomatic energy on expanding ties with Vietnam.

Indeed, both countries designated last year, which marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, as the "Year of DPRK-Vietnam Friendship." During foreign ministerial talks held in May, the two sides agreed to defend socialism, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and strengthen strategic communication, mutual support, and cooperation in foreign policy. In June, they also held ministerial-level talks in Pyongyang on public security sectors, including public order and law enforcement. Vice Minister Ryo's current visit to Vietnam is seen as further extending the scope of bilateral cooperation into the military and security domains.

Experts assess that North Korea, having drawn lessons from the breakdown of the 2019 Hanoi summit with the U.S., is focusing its diplomatic efforts on Global South nations as part of a strategy to restore, strengthen, and expand its traditional diplomatic partnerships.

                                                                                                            Mok Yong-jae