A high-ranking delegation from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) visited a civil equipment research and production complex of the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) at Ha Noi’s Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park on February 28.

They included Politburo member, Vice Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee, and head of the WPK’s International Affairs Department Ri Su-yong; Politburo member, Vice Chairman of the WPK Central Committee, and head of the WPK’s Cadres’ Affairs Department Kim Pyong-hae; and Politburo member, Vice Chairman of the WPK Central Committee, and head of the WPK’s Economic Affairs Department O Su-yong.

The tour was a fringe activity of the high-ranking delegation during their trip to Viet Nam for the second DPRK-USA summit in Ha Noi and the official visit to Viet Nam by Chairman of the WPK Central Committee Kim Jong Un.

DPRK officials visited Viettel’s global telecom centre which oversees and operates the telecom and information technology system in Viet Nam, as well as providing technical assistance for 10 foreign telecom companies.

They were introduced to the group’s core telecom equipment system, alongside devices and solutions used by fishing vessels.

Viettel Deputy General Director Major General Hoang Son said that Viettel was honoured as one of the 500 most valuable brands in the world in 2019, with its brand value having grown by 35.8 per cent in 2018 against 2017, to reach more than US$4.3 billion.

Viettel has more than 100 million subscribers in Viet Nam and 10 other countries, Son added.

Speaking at the meeting, Ri Su-yong expressed that the DPRK is impressed with Viettel technologies, and conveyed his hope that both sides would have more exchanges and opportunities for cooperation in the time ahead as DPRK is also highly interested in telecommunication and smart technologies.

The DPRK delegation then went on to visit the Dan Hoai cooperative’s orchid planting model in Dan Phuong District of Ha Noi. — VNS