Leaders of Can Tho and Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Vietnam Park Noh-wan on August 20 to discuss future cooperation between in the Mekong Delta city and the RoK.

Secretary of the Can Tho Party Committee Tran Quoc Trung presents
a gift to Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Vietnam Park Noh-wan
during their meeting on August 20. (Photo: baocantho.com.vn)

Speaking at the meeting, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Tran Quoc Trung highlighted the recent development of the friendship and economic cooperation between the two sides, saying the RoK tops foreign investors in Can Tho with 14 FDI projects, worth a total US$268 million.

The RoK is now the city’s largest strategic partner as the two-way trade exceeded US$14 million last year and reached US$2.9 million in the first half of 2020. Can Tho mainly exported to the RoK rice, fishery and agricultural products, garments and pharmaceuticals while imports included pharmaceutical materials, fabrics and veterinary medicines.

Trung hoped to receive more support and cooperation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Korean Ambassador and the RoK Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City as well as Korean investors to further boost and sustain its development.

He called for Korean investment in various areas, including hi-tech, support industries, logistics, trade and tourism.

Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung highly spoke of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and the RoK and mentioned Can Tho as an emerging destination for foreign investors.

RoK Ambassador to Vietnam Park Noh-wan, for his part, said more and more Korean firms have shown their interest in Can Tho and the Mekong Delta at large as the region holds great potential for economic development and Can Tho is a gateway to the delta.

Korean investment has been mostly poured into Hanoi over recent years, he said, adding that he expects a new wave of investment from Korean companies will land in Can Tho and the Mekong Delta in the coming time.

He wished to open more classes providing Korean-language lessons and proposed the establishment of a centre for sending Vietnamese guest workers to the RoK.

He unveiled that Vietnam and the RoK will co-host a Korea-Mekong Delta business forum in Can Tho in October.