Vietnam – Korea Culture Day in Can Tho City

Vietnamese and Korean delegates at the opening ceremony of Vietnam – Korea Culture Day in Can Tho City

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (1992-2022), on 21 November 2022, Can Tho City launches the Vietnam – Korea Culture Day, organized by the Department of External Relations, at Can Tho University of Technology.

There are 20 booths of Vietnamese and Korean organizations and partners to introduce cultural and culinary features of the two countries. Key activities at the Vietnam – Korea Culture Day include a cooking contest of Vietnamese and Korean dishes, Vovinam and Taekwondo demonstrations, K-Pop, Samulnori traditional drums performance, Vietnamese and Korean traditional costumes performance, etc. Moreover, participants can also try on hanboks, play Korean traditional games, try Korean food, and enjoy a mini gallery of paintings by Korean artists.

In addition, the Organizing Committee has also fundraised 540 million VND for Vietnamese-Korean disadvantaged children as well as Vietnamese underprivileged students at local colleges and universities.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee says that Can Tho considers the Republic of Korea one of the most crucial partners in the international integration, and that the city leaders do appreciate the contribution of foreign investors, including Koreans. Furthermore, Can Tho City and Jeollanam-do Province signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2012; since then, the two sides have had delegation exchanges, official exchanges through trainings, and cultural exchanges via the establishment of Jeollanam-do Corner at the University of Technology. All of these activities have boosted the understanding and cooperation between the two localities.

Can Tho City leaders (right) exchanges ideas with Jeollanam-do representatives (left)

In response, Mr. Ha Gwang Yun, Head of Representative Office of Jeollanam-do in Ho Chi Minh City shares that Vietnam is currently the third largest exporter and the fifth largest importer to the Republic of Korea (RoK), while RoK is the biggest foreign direct investor in Vietnam. There are now approximately 8,000 Korean companies operating in Vietnam, creating more than one million jobs and generating 30% of the total import-export turnover of Vietnam.

Jeollanam-do Office in Ho Chi Minh City is to help enhance the relations with Vietnam and some other countries in Southeast Asia, especially in the sectors of trade, investment, culture, and tourism. Mr. Ha Gwang Yun expresses his expectation to continue to collaborate with Can Tho in agriculture, tourism, energy, and environment.

The Vietnam – Korea Culture Day in Can Tho City has attracted roughly 800 students and people./.