Hanoi: Vietnamese President Luong Cuong has reached out to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with a congratulatory message, expressing his desire to meet in person "as soon as possible." The message was sent in advance of North Korea's national founding anniversary, scheduled for September 9, as reported by state media on Friday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) confirmed that the message was delivered the previous day, just ahead of North Korea's 77th anniversary of its founding in 1948 by Kim Il-sung, the current leader's grandfather. President Cuong's message extended "the most passionate congratulations" and highlighted the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations between Vietnam and North Korea.
The Vietnamese leader expressed hope that cooperation between the two nations could be developed practically and effectively, aligning with the interests of their peoples and contributing to regional and global peace and stability. He conveyed his wish to meet Kim Jong-un soon, referring to him as "comrade."
Kim Jong-un previously visited Hanoi in March 2019 for a summit with then U.S. President Donald Trump, an event that helped improve ties between North Korea and Vietnam. Both leaders were present at China's military parade in Beijing earlier in the week, although no bilateral discussions took place.