The RoK leader called on students to study and work hard in preparation for their future role as masters of the nation.

“The future belongs to those who have big dreams and are well-prepared. For those who are not ready, fortune will never come. It just passes them by and goes on its way”, said the chief law maker of the third largest Asian economy. 

His speech was time and again interrupted by loud applause from teachers and students of one of the leading academic institutions in Vietnam. 

In regard to bilateral relations, the ROK parliamentary leader said the two countries share much in common, culturally and historically. 

In 2010, Vietnam will take office as President of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the RoK will assume the presidency of the G20. It will open up opportunities for the two strategic partners to bolster cooperation and have stronger voices at international forums in the interests of a prosperous Asia and for the sake of the two countries’ people, Kim said. 

He also expressed his belief in a stronger role to be played by the two countries in the post-crisis period after analysing Vietnam’s consistent growth since launching renewal, especially its having attained a growth of over 5 percent in 2009 amid the global economic downturn. 

The Hanoi-based VNU is one of Vietnam’s most prestigious universities, with a history stretching back over 100 years. Its current mission is to develop high-quality human resources and provide talent for the nation in service of the cause of industrialisation and modernisation. 

Its Deputy Director Pham Trong Quat expressed his pleasure at welcoming two top RoK leaders in such a short period of time, referring to a previous visit by President Lee Myung-Pak on October 20. 

He unveiled the university’s long-term strategy towards a model of multi-disciplinary training and research on scientific advances. 

The VNU has received State funds to invest in international-standard training programmes as a foundation for implementing its plan to become a prestigious university in the region and the world, Quat said. 

“To this end, the university has set up a strategy to promote cooperation with international universities and educational institutions, including scholarship funds from the RoK,” he said.