President Yoon Suk Yeol challenged a group of South Korean businesspeople on Thursday to invest in Vietnam's emerging markets, saying he believes they hold the key to overcoming various global risks.

Yoon made the remark during dinner with a South Korean business delegation accompanying him on his three-day state visit to Vietnam.

The 205-member delegation, the largest yet under the current administration, includes Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung.

"The business environment is very difficult, with the global economic slowdown, supply chain disruptions and the energy and climate crises," Yoon said during the dinner at a hotel in Hanoi.

"I believe the answer to overcoming these crises can be found here in Vietnam, which is the center of the global supply chain realignment and an emerging consumer market," he said.

Yoon explained that Vietnam is building an innovation ecosystem with the aim of becoming an advanced nation by 2045, improving its power and communications infrastructure, and pushing large-scale projects to develop its industries and accelerate the digital transition.

"A new opportunity is opening up for South Korea, which, more than any other nation, has a tight connection link to Vietnam," he said. "I ask you to take the lead in accepting the challenge. The results you produce will become a new engine for our economy."

Referring to himself as a "Republic of Korea salesman," Yoon again offered to do everything possible to help South Korean businesses export their goods and win overseas orders.

"If you find anything difficult or unreasonable while doing business, please tell our government at any time," he said. (Yonhap)