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| Late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is known as a leader with a background in literature, a rarity among global leaders. (Photo: VNA) |
The event was organised by the RoK-Vietnam Cultural Exchange Association (KOVECA) in collaboration with the AJU News media group, the Bichaena cultural exchange organisation and the Roundabout publishing house.
At the beginning of the event, participants observed a minute of silence in memory of the late Vietnamese leader.
The event was not only an occasion to commemorate General Secretary Trong but also provided a space for author Cho Chul Hyun to introduce, talk and discuss with Korean readers about his book.
AJU News Group Chairman Kwak Young Gil said that after reading the book, he felt that the late Party chief was a true national hero and an upright and modest leader loved by the Vietnamese people.
Former RoK Minister of Health and Welfare Cha Heung Bong said he has learned a lot from the book.
He said thanks to the book, he can know about Trong’s school time, his study in the former Soviet Union and his anti-corruption fight.
Cha said the book features very interesting and meaningful events and issues. This book will be very helpful for researchers who want to learn about the modern history of Vietnam. The book is the first dedicated to the Vietnamese leader published outside Vietnam. It was launched in May 2024.
In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency's correspondents in Seoul, the author shared that the longstanding relationship between the two countries has sparked a special interest in Vietnam among Koreans. Trong particularly attracted Cho's attention because Trong is a leader with a background in literature, a rarity among global leaders. In the RoK, they often come from law, economics, or political sciences.
Impressed by the Vietnamese leader’s exceptional skills in writing commentaries and essays, the author delved deeper into his life, starting from his school days. His research process, which began in 2014, faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, as the two countries celebrated the 30th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations, Cho made multiple trips to Vietnam and began writing the book intensively for a year and a half./.