Upon hearing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's death, South Korean writer Cho Chul-hyeon immediately booked a ticket to Vietnam to bid farewell to the CPV leader.

Cho had always wished that his book on the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong, would be printed in Vietnam and that he would one day have the opportunity to present it to the Party leader. This was no longer possible.

Ten years of writing about the General Secretary

Published in South Korea in mid-May 2024, it is the first book by a foreign author about General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

The 420-page book, measuring 16x24 cm, vividly depicts the Party General Secretary's early years, his diligent academic journey, and exceptional achievements from primary, secondary, and high school to the Philology Faculty of Hanoi University.

It also details his editorship of the Communist Review, his insightful theoretical and critical articles, and his achievements during his tenure as Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee (2000-2006), Chairman of the National Assembly (2006-2011), and his role as Vietnam's highest authority during the 11th, 12th and 13th National Party Congresses.

The Vietnam News Agency Publishing House will publish Vietnamese and Korean versions of the book in Vietnam in recognition of its important value.

The 420-page book is a vivid portrait of the party's General Secretary. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times

South Korean writer Cho Chul-hyeon said he started finding material in 2014. As Korea and Vietnam have close relations, he is very interested in Vietnamese history, society, and culture. He has visited Vietnam many times and collected a lot of information on the subject.

In 2008, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited South Korea in his capacity as Chairman of the National Assembly. Writer Cho Chul-hyeon began to study the life of the leader and learned that he came from a literary background. Since then, Mr Cho Chul-hyeon has been very impressed and interested in the Vietnamese political figure, unlike Korean statesmen who have degrees in law, economics, or politics.

"He was a journalist for a long time. To be honest, I'm really intrigued by this CV. A leader who studied literature and used to be a journalist was very interesting to me and I tried to find his articles. I am very impressed by his sharp comments and discussions," said Cho.

So since 2014, Cho has been collecting a lot of material on General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, from his childhood and student days to his later important positions.

"In 2022, when South Korea and Vietnam will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (December 22, 1992-2022), I traveled to Vietnam several times, and it was also at that time that the outline of the book on the life of the outstanding General Secretary became clear to me," Cho said.

South Korean writer Cho Chul-hyeon talks about the process of writing the book. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times

He put aside all his work to concentrate on writing the book. First, he asked the Vietnamese Ambassador to South Korea, Nguyen Vu Tung, for help in gathering materials and was promised that he would do his best to help. However, the ambassador reminded him that the General Secretary was a very modest person, so he might not be unwilling to write or speak about himself.

Using the contacts provided by Ambassador Tung, the Korean writer sought out many individuals and organizations to obtain documents, articles, statements, and speeches from General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. From the roughly translated documents, he sought out Vietnamese research experts to verify them, including Professor Ahn Kyong-hwan, former president of the Korean-Vietnamese Studies Association and current Rector of the Korean International School in Vietnam.

With these efforts, the author has completed the book, which closely follows the main stages of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's career, with detailed information on his youth and university years, which few people know about.

As soon as the book was published in South Korea, the leading expert on Vietnamese studies at Seoul University, Professor Kim Yong-geun, commented that the book provided many valuable documents for South Korean academic researchers and students. The Korean press began to cover the book.

General Secretary's legacy 

According to author Cho Chul-hyeon, the book portrays General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in three main aspects: Party builder, bamboo diplomat, and blazing furnace, corresponding to the General Secretary's three great achievements: building and protecting the Party's ideological foundation, shaping foreign policy and anti-corruption work.

Cho Chul-hyeon affirmed that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong had truly become a thinker on communism with profound theories. Thanks to his major in literature, he has put forward the theory of the superiority of socialism in an easily understandable and very humane way.

The book portrays General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in three great achievements: building and protecting the Party's ideological foundation, shaping foreign policy, and fighting corruption. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times

Another legacy of the General Secretary is the fight against corruption. He has a famous saying that illustrates his determination to fight corruption: "The furnace is heating up, even fresh firewood can be burned", the furnace being a metaphor for the fight against corruption and the firewood being corrupt.

"This is in line with the construction and rectification project of the Communist Party of Vietnam, with a firm and strong awareness that by working with integrity within the Party and maintaining morality, Party members can build a strong political party capable of attracting and leading the country," Cho Chul-hyeon said.

From a diplomatic perspective, the bamboo diplomacy of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was also highly praised for his effective way of implementing foreign policy with countries around the world.

"All three powers, America, China, and Russia, are in fierce economic competition, but the US president, the president of China, and, most recently, the president of Russia have all visited Vietnam, putting Vietnam in the headlines around the world," the writer commented.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized that Vietnam's foreign policy and diplomacy, in the face of great changes in the times, have clearly demonstrated the unique characteristics of "Vietnamese bamboo": A strong root, a sturdy trunk, and flexible branches under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Cho emphasized that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is an outstanding disciple of President Ho Chi Minh who has devoted his life to the country's prosperity.

"General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has lived his life like Vietnamese bamboo, with solid roots, meaning faith in the soul and ideals he has pursued; hard stems and soft leaves, standing for flexibility, bringing many brilliant achievements to the country and long-term practical benefits to the Vietnamese people," said Cho Chul Hyeon.