This was the focus of discussions held on July 8 between Da Nang city leaders and a delegation of RoK lawmakers led by National Assembly member Kim Gihyeon, Chair of the Special Committee on the 2025 APEC Summit, and Kim Seok Ki, Chair of the Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, during their working visit to Da Nang.

At the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee Tran Chi Cuong affirmed that since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, cooperation between Vietnam and the RoK has grown steadily across a wide range of fields, including economics, trade, investment, culture, education, and tourism. In particular, the two countries elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in December 2022.

The RoK is one of the largest investors in Vietnam and also among its top trading partners. In addition, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, along with labor cooperation, have helped strengthen the bonds between the two nations, laying a solid foundation for long-term friendship and development.

Da Nang has established friendly and cooperative relations with five RoK localities: Changwon (1997), Daegu (2004), Hwaseong (2008), Jeju (2023), and Pyeongtaek (2025). The city has effectively implemented a range of cooperative programs in areas such as tourism, training, personnel exchanges, and cultural exchange, as well as sharing experience in green transportation and smart city development.

Da Nang also plans to continue cooperation initiatives with RoK localities and partners that previously had relations with the former Quang Nam province, including Osan, Yongin, and Gwangyang.

With its potential and strengths, Da Nang hopes to explore new opportunities for cooperation with South Korean localities and partners in trade, investment, and the sharing of experience in developing free trade zones and financial centers, as well as in promoting cultural and tourism exchanges between the two sides.

From August 1 to 3, 2025, Da Nang will host the annual Vietnam-RoK Festival, featuring conferences, seminars, tourism promotion programs, education and trade activities, and cultural and sports exchanges between the two countries.

Sharing Da Nang’s experience in hosting the 2017 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee Tran Chi Cuong noted that it was the first time Vietnam had hosted such a high-level international event in a city outside the capital.

The event brought to Da Nang leaders from all 21 APEC member economies, including the RoK Korea, along with three Southeast Asian observer countries, namely Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

Held from November 6 to 11, 2017, the event attracted some 11,000 participants, including 2,000 business representatives and 3,000 domestic and international journalists.

The lessons, outcomes, and efforts from Da Nang’s successful hosting of APEC 2017 will serve as valuable experience for the RoK as it prepares to host the APEC Summit in 2025.

“With the long-standing cooperation and continued exchanges and development, we believe this will further promote investment, economic ties, and friendly cultural exchanges between the people of Da Nang and Korean localities. We hope that with new policies, improved conditions, and untapped potential, Da Nang will continue to attract Korean investors, businesses, and visitors who want to explore, travel, and invest in the city’s development,” said Tran Chi Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee.

President inspects APEC Summit preparations in Da Nang

President Tran Dai Quang on April 18 made an inspection tour of several facilities serving the APEC High-level Week 2017 in the central city of Da Nang this November.