Hoa Vang District in Da Nang, Viet Nam, has been proactively cooperating with localities of South Korea in the fields of economy, education and culture in recent years, contributing to promoting local economic growth, and improving people's lives.

Leaders of Hoa Vang District in Da Nang and Bonghwa District in South Korea signed a cooperation agreement. Photo: T.PHUONG

To date, Hoa Vang District has signed cooperation agreements with three districts and counties of South Korea, namely Yeongyang and Bonghwa districts in Gyeongsangbuk Province, and Gurye District in Jeollanam-do Province.

According to the Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the district Nguyen Thuc Dung, 2016 was the first year that Hoa Vang District signed a cooperation agreement with Yeongyang District on seasonal labour exchange in the agricultural sector. To help workers better understand the way of living and working in South Korea, the district authorities invited the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs to provide information about South Korean culture and laws, and train Korean language, for workers.

From 2017 to 2024, the district selected and sent more than 1,800 workers to South Korea to work. Most of the workers are excited, learn agricultural production experience and have quite high income. Each worker earns an average of more than VND 80 million - VND 200 million after each period of 3 - 5 months.

In 2024, the total income of workers working in South Korea was more than VND 156 billion. “This is one of the important foreign affairs activities for the locality to open up more international cooperation opportunities. It can be said that this cooperation programme is a bright spot in the district's social security work, contributing to creating jobs for locals and helping them escape poverty sustainably", Mr. Dung expressed.

With the connection of Yeongyang District, the Saemaul Globalisation Foundation (South Korea) supports the implementation of the Thai Lai Saemaul new-style rural village project in Hoa Nhon Commune, with a total funding of nearly VND 15 billion. As a result, the Thai Lai - Saemaul Production and Business Service Cooperative has been established with 38 members in total.

The project connects experts, and organises technical training courses on agriculture, and tours to learn from experiences in other provinces and cities,. The Thai Lai Saemaul new-style rural village model has brought high efficiency, greatly supporting the change of production model from small-scale to more systematic and large-scale investment, and promoting linkages to form a solid production environment. Thanks to that, many households have improved their economy, and their lives have become more complete and prosperous.

Aside from economy field, Hoa Vang District and Yeongyang have focused on educational cooperation, and organizing cultural exchanges among students. Accordingly, senior and junior high school pupils in Hoa Vang District visited the South Korean locality to study and access modern teaching methods.

Recently, at the 2025 Vietnamese Tet Festival, the working delegation and art troupe of Yeongyang District visited and worked with the People's Committee of Hoa Vang District.

After 7 years of cooperation, the two sides agreed to sign a document adjusting the contents of the seasonal labour cooperation agreement in accordance with the laws of the two countries.

In addition to the seasonal labour cooperation agreement, the leaders of the two sides agreed to study the transfer of scientific and technological achievements in the field of agriculture, as well as exchange and trade agricultural products that are the strengths of the two localities, thereby contributing to the continuous development of the bilateral cooperative and friendly relationship.

Following the success of the cooperation with Yeongyang District, the People's Committee of Hoa Vang District expands cooperation with Bonghwa District (Gyeongsangbuk Province) and Gurye District (Jeollanam-do Province) on sending and receiving human resources in the seasonal labour programme.

Additionally, both sides wish to promote cooperation in the fields of agriculture, tourism, education and cultural exchange. Especially through cultural exchange activities, they will become closer, understand, bond and trust each other, leading to the signing of economic and trade cooperation agreements, and contributing to the city's successful implementation of the work of "Diplomacy serving the economy".

The Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs said that on the basis of the good relationship between Viet Nam and South Korea, and between Da Nang and South Korean localities, Hoa Vang District has quickly seized the opportunity to promote international cooperation agreements with South Korea, thereby proactively integrating and cooperating internationally, and taking advantage of foreign resources to boost the local socio-economic development.

Reporting by THANH PHUONG - Translating by M.DUNG