South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Vietnamese Communist Party chief To Lam pledged to deepen economic and strategic cooperation during Lam’s state visit to Seoul this week. The leaders agreed to nearly double annual bilateral trade to $150 billion by 2030, up from about $81 billion last year, and witnessed the signing of roughly 10 memorandums of understanding covering nuclear power, high-speed rail, smart-city projects, advanced technology, renewable energy and critical minerals. Lee framed the accord as part of a broader push to diversify supply chains and strengthen Southeast Asian ties amid heightened global trade uncertainty following U.S. tariff actions. South Korea’s government highlighted opportunities for joint work in semiconductors and clean-energy industries, while Vietnam called for continued Korean investment and skills training in areas such as artificial intelligence and shipbuilding. The Vietnamese summit precedes a flurry of diplomacy for Lee. His office said he will visit Tokyo on Aug. 23–24 for his first bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba since taking office in June, resuming so-called shuttle diplomacy in the 60th anniversary year of diplomatic normalisation between the neighbours. Lee will then travel to Washington for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 25. The two leaders are expected to discuss implementing a July agreement that lowered U.S. duties on South Korean exports to 15 percent and envisages up to $350 billion in Korean investment in the United States, as well as cooperation in semiconductors, batteries and shipbuilding. Defence cost-sharing for the roughly 28,500 U.S. troops stationed on the peninsula and broader regional security issues are also on the agenda. Analysts see the back-to-back meetings with Vietnam, Japan and the United States as the opening moves in Lee’s drive to recalibrate South Korea’s trade and security posture amid intensifying U.S.–China rivalry and persistent threats from North Korea.