South Korea's president has visited Vietnam for the first time since he took office last May. The trip comes as both Seoul and Hanoi face soured relations with Beijing amid China's increasing assertiveness over issues such as the South China Sea.

It's the first visit by Yoon Suk-yeol to a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

He met President Vo Van Thuong in Hanoi on Friday. Yoon expressed his intention to step up cooperation with Vietnam in areas including security and economy.

He said they discussed how to strengthen their cooperation along with improving bilateral ties, as well as ways to contribute to freedom, peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

Thuong said he and Yoon share common ground on many important issues, stressing their countries are real partners.

Yoon has brought with him an economic mission of over 200 business leaders, including representatives of South Korea's five major conglomerates.

Yoon was also set to meet on Friday with Vietnam's supreme leader, Nguyen Phu Trong, head of the Communist Party.