During his Tuesday meeting with the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s General Consul in Da Nang Ahn Min Sik, Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh highly appreciated the fruitful cooperation and friendship between Da Nang and RoK localities over recent years. In particular, educational cooperation, cultural exchanges and people-to-people diplomacy between Da Nang and RoK localities have taken place vigorously, generating many positive results.

Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh (right) representing a momento to the RoK’s General Consul in Da Nang Ahn Min Sik during the Tuesday meeting

The municipal government chief also thanked the South Korean Consulate General, its businesses and citizens in Da Nang for their active support given to the city over the past time, especially during Da Nang’s fight against the COVID-19 resurgence last year.

Da Nang, for the time being, is on its great mission to implement the landmark programme ‘2021: The year of restoring growth and promoting economic development’, as well as fulfilling the dual goal of both keeping itself out of COVID-19 and bolstering the economy with the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth target of 6%.

In the coming time, when the Vietnamese Prime Minister approves the adjustments to the master plan for Da Nang major developments by 2030, a vision to 2045, the city will trial the organisation of the urban government model, and this is expected to open many investment opportunities for foreign businesses.

Chairman Chinh also asked for help from General Consul Ahn Min Sik to encourage more South Korean investors in the aspects of start-up, innovation, high-tech agricultural development, labour force exchanges and tourism to pour their money into Da Nang.

Da Nang government would create the best conditions to support South Korean nationals and its businesses in Da Nang, hereby contributing to further tightening the bilateral relationship, Chairman Chinh pledged.

As the pandemic has been brought under control in Da Nang, municipal authorities are exerting efforts to address bottlenecks for businesses, and speed up administrative procedure reforms so as to drive the city’s economic recovery and its growth.

General Consul Ahn Min Sik said over 90% 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 Central Viet Nam, and Da Nang in particular.

In the coming time, the RoK’s Consulate General in Da Nang will work with the city in the fields of investment promotion, IT training, smart city building and tourism in the post-pandemic period.

The Korean diplomat commended Da Nang for containing the coronavirus over recent times, saying that this success helps RoK investors feel secure and soon return once the global pandemic is put under control in the coming time.

Of special note, Viet Nam and South Korea share various cultural similarities in terms of culture, people, potentials and development strategies, and Da Nang has emerged as a favourite destination for RoK travellers.

RoK is considering holding a RoK-Viet Nam business conference in Da Nang this year, in the format of either in-person or online, Ahn said, expressing his hope that Da Nang will devise the content of the planned Viet Nam-RoK festival to turn it into an annual cultural exchange event.

By LAM PHUONG- Translated by A.T