By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter


Tran Duc Luong
Vietnamese President

Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong said his country now sees South Korea as a comprehensive partner decades after the end of the Vietnam War in which the two countries had fought against each other.

``Vietnam considers the Republic of Korea a comprehensive partner in its development strategy,’’ Luong told The Korea Times in an interview to mark the 30th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, which falls on April 30.

Though Vietnamese will never forget what the war had done to them, they will seek a policy of promoting relations with South Korea, he added.

The 68-year-old president confessed that the war had grave consequences to the nation, as the Vietnamese endured the devastation of war and war’s lingering impact on the human, economic and ecological environment.

``We still have to account for about 300,000 people missing in action, provide regular allowances for over 1.5 million invalids and families of war martyrs, as well as victims and the family members of victims of Agent Orange,’’ he said.

He did not say further about the then-war enemy, the United States, whose forces used the Agent Orange, a herbicide containing the toxic dioxin, during the Vietnam War to expose guerrilla forces in forested areas.

``But as a peace-loving nation, Vietnam continues to pursue a policy of attaching importance to promoting relations and looking forward to the future in relations with other countries while not forgetting the past,’’ he said.

The president showed pride of Vietnam’s reconstruction from the ruins of the war because its people have worked hard to establish a new nation out of a war-torn country during the past 30 years.

Luong picked five achievements of his country, which he believed clearly proves Vietnam’s departure from its war-tainted image. They are the country’s high economic growth, the improvement of its people’s living standard, the maintenance of socio-political stability, the promotion of relations with foreign countries and Vietnam’s enhanced position in the world.

``The most outstanding achievement is sustained high economic growth rates for consecutive years,’’ he continued. ``From 1991 to 2000, Vietnam had doubled its GDP with the annual rate of 7.5 percent. For the past three years, its average growth rate was 7.1 percent. The figure last year was 7.6 percent.’’

Luong said that the further development of Vietnam would become easier in cooperation with South Korea in various fields, particularly in the economy because the two countries are complementary.

Vietnam is rich in natural resources and a fast growing economy with low labor costs while South Korea is an industrial country with strong advantages in high technology and capital, he explained.

``The two countries can, therefore, complement to each other through cooperation for shared development.’’

Regarding the North Korean nuclear issue, Luong said his country supports the six-party talks and will do its part to resume the stalled dialogue as it is the right way to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

``Vietnam follows the situation on the peninsula with keen interest and holds that it is right to settle differences through dialogue for reconciliation and harmony,’’ he said. ``Vietnam welcomes efforts of parties concerned to address the nuclear issue via negotiation in order to maintain peace and stability of the peninsula and the region.’’

As the peace and stability on the peninsula is closely linked to a peaceful and stable Northeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific, Vietnam appreciates endeavors aimed at resuming the six-nation talks.

``As a country having good relations with the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Vietnam will do its utmost to contribute to peace and stability on the peninsula.’’

Luong was elected as President of Vietnam in 1997 and reelected in 2002.

yoonwonsup@koreatimes.co.kr