The central city of Da Nang is planning to host an annual Vietnam-Republic of Korea (ROK) festival to boost cultural exchanges, investment promotions and development of tourism, trade, health care and education, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Trung Chinh has said.
At the reception
During a reception for Korean General Consul in Da Nang Ahn Min-sik on March 9, Chinh said that the two countries share various cultural similarities and Da Nang has emerged as a favourite destination for Korean tourists.
He expressed his gratitude for support from the Korean Consulate General, firms and citizens in Da Nang over the past time, especially during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the pandemic has been brought under control in Da Nang, local authorities are exerting efforts to address bottlenecks for businesses and speed up administrative procedure reforms so as to foster the city’s economic recovery and development, he said.
In the coming time, the municipal administration will strive to create favourable conditions for the Korean Consul General, Consulate General, businesses and citizens to work, reside and travel to the city, the official added.
Chairman Chinh voiced his hope that the Korean side will further support the building of incubators, start-up and innovation centres, as well as foster cooperation in high tech agriculture and herbal cultivation; and human resource development and labour exports.
He also hoped the ROK will continue to promote Da Nang’s image as a safe, clean and green and beautiful destination for Koreans once the pandemic is controlled.
For his part, the Korean diplomat said over 90 percent out of about 8,000 Korean investors and firms in Vietnam are operating in the northern and southern regions. Therefore, the Korean government is eager to foster development and cooperation in Vietnam’s central region and Da Nang city in particular, he said.
In the coming time, the Korean Consulate General will work with Da Nang city in the fields of investment promotion, IT training, smart city building and tourism in the post-pandemic period, he said.
The ROK is considering holding a ROK-Vietnam business conference in Da Nang this year, in the format of either in-person or online, Ahn said, expressing his hope that the central city will devise the content of the planned Vietnam-ROK festival to turn it into an annual cultural exchange event.