The Vietnamese Prime Minister, Phan Van Khai, has said his country didn't expect any apologies from the powers that once fought wars on its soil.

Mr Khai told a news conference at the end of the ASEAN summit that his country wanted to close the past and looked forward to the future.

His comments came a day after the South Korean President, Kim Dae-jung, expressed regret for his country's actions during the Vietnam war, when South Korean troops fought alongside the Americans.

Mr Kim called it an unfortunate period.

Seoul and Hanoi established diplomatic relations in 1992.