Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai met with visiting South Korean Defense Minister Yoon Kwang- ung on Wednesday, discussing issues on beefing up the two countries' cooperation and other issues of mutual concern.

Khai said he believed that the visit will beef up cooperative relations between the two countries in general and the two defense ministries in particular, contributing to maintaining peace in the region and the world.

South Korea is an important partner of Vietnam, the prime minister said, adding that many South Korean large enterprises have succeeded in doing businesses in his country.

Khai also thanked the South Korean government for its non- refundable aid to Vietnam in the fields of education, heath, and poverty reduction.

In response, Yoon Kwang-ung, who started his four-day trip to Vietnam on Tuesday, said the two countries have many cultural and historical similarities, which are favorable conditions for their cooperation development.

On the same day, Yoon Kwang-ung also met with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Van Tra.

Source: Xinhua