(VOVworld) – Park Geun-hye, 60-year-old leader of the Saenuri Party, defeated Moon Jae-in of the Democratic United Party (DUP) in the presidential election on December 19 to become South Korea’s first female President. Her term, which will begin in February, will face the challenges of an economic downturn and tensions on the Korean peninsula.

(VOVworld)- Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung left Hanoi on Thursday for New Delhi to attend a two-day ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit celebrating 20 years of ties between ASEAN and India, one of the group’s dialogue partners. The visit shows Vietnam’s consistent policy of boosting its strategic partnership with India and cooperation with India at international forums.

(VOVworld) – Among many issues relating to human rights, the Vietnamese government gives top priority to ensuring social security. In the context of the global economic recession, Vietnam has concentrated more on social security and considered it an important factor for improving human rights.

(VOVworld) – Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party won a landslide victory in the election for Parliament’s House of Diet on Sunday. This means the Party’s President Shinzo Abe will become the country’s Prime Minister. The LDP’s success suggests that Japanese voters trust the party but saddle it with the challenge of dealing with Japan’s current problems. VOV’s editor Hong Van comments…

(VOVworld) - Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Salvador Lamothe began an official visit to Vietnam on Monday at Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s invitation. The visit aims to deepen bilateral friendship and cooperation and tap the two countries’ potential.

(VOVworld) – The 13th National Assembly has improved its performance, especially in legislative work, in 2012. Vietnam’s highest legislative body has determined to improve the quality and number of laws it adopts to meet the requirements of socio-economic growth and building a socialist state governed by law.

(VOVworld) - The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on Wednesday sent into orbit an observation satellite called Kwangmyungsang-3. The launch surprised the international community.

(VOVworld) - Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on Wednesday delivered an important speech at the opening ceremony of the Ho Chi Minh Youth Union’s National Congress. He praised the role of young people in the revolutionary course of the Party and the nation. He underlined that the Youth Union should concentrate on improving the political awareness for young people and individuals should keep on training themselves to contribute to Vietnam’s renewal process.

(VOVworld) – Starting next year, the Vietnam Development Partnership Forum will replace the Consultative Group Meeting and will be jointly chaired by the World Bank and the Ministry of Planning and Investment. The new forum is based on Vietnam’s needs as a middle income country with a stable market economy and a stronger partnership between Vietnam and the international community. VOV’s Vinh Phong reports:

(VOVworld)- The 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea turns 30 on December 10. For the occasion, Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son, head of the national Border Committee wrote an article titled “ 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea- A constitution on the Ocean” highlighting the significance of the document and Vietnam’s compliance with the convention. Here are some excerpts of the Deputy Foreign Minister’s article.