What is the story behind the thank-you letter sent by Quy Nhon Mayor in Vietnam to Yongsan District Mayor Seong Hyun Yong?

Yongsan-gu Supports Masks and Protective Suits to Vietnamese Sister City... Following Last Month's 4,000 Masks, Additional 75,000 Masks and 500 Protective Suits Provided
Ng? Ho?ng Nam, Quy Nhon Mayor, Sends Thank You Letter Saying "Great Help to Quy Nhon City"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seongjang Hyun) has provided 75,000 dental masks (ASTM Level 3) and 500 protective suits (Level D) to its overseas sister city, Quy Nhon City in Vietnam.

Although 4,000 masks were already provided last month, the COVID-19 situation in Vietnam has worsened recently due to the spread of the Delta variant.

As of the 12th, the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Vietnam has exceeded 600,000, more than twice the cumulative number in South Korea. The largest city in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, alone has nearly 300,000 (298,029) confirmed cases. While the situation in Quy Nhon City is better than in major cities, the number of cases is rapidly increasing and the vaccination rate is low, making city lockdowns unavoidable for the time being.

This exchange is reciprocal in nature. Despite a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines in Quy Nhon, the city has supported vaccination for one dispatched Yongsan-gu employee and four Korean residents living there.

Ng? Ho?ng Nam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quy Nhon City, sent a letter of appreciation to the district office on the 16th after receiving the quarantine supplies. He said, “I was deeply moved when receiving the quarantine supplies. They will be a great help to Quy Nhon. I hope the 25th anniversary of exchange activities between the two cities will develop further.”

Seongjang Hyun, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, “South Korea is also facing difficulties with COVID-19, but the situation in Vietnam is much more serious. True friends help each other in difficult times. We will do our best to ensure the friendship between the two cities lasts longer.”

Quy Nhon is the capital of Binh Dinh Province in central Vietnam, with a population of 457,000. Along with Nha Trang and Da Nang, it is considered one of the three major tourist cities in central and southern Vietnam.

In 1996, Seongjang Hyun, then a member of the Yongsan-gu Council, first visited Quy Nhon as part of the district delegation. Around the same time, a delegation from Quy Nhon visited Yongsan-gu, opening the door to friendly exchanges.

Since then, the “Quy Nhon Outstanding Student Study Abroad Support Project” began in 2011. The district partnered with the prestigious private university Sookmyung Women’s University to admit one student annually, providing scholarships and living expenses. In 2013, the district also helped establish a cataract treatment center at Quy Nhon City Hospital in cooperation with Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital and Amorepacific.

In 2016, Yongsan-gu and Quy Nhon City each established Quy Nhon-gil and Yongsan Street in the Quy Nhon International Trade Zone. In 2018, recognizing these achievements, Mayor Seongjang Hyun became the first Korean local government head to receive the Friendship Order from the President of Vietnam.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the friendship exchange. To commemorate this, the district has been promoting the construction of a traditional Korean-style building (pavilion, Korean promotional center, Korean garden) in Quy Nhon in collaboration with Jeonbuk National University and Hyosung Heavy Industries. However, due to the COVID-19 situation, delays have become inevitable. Although the site (200㎥) has been secured with the cooperation of Quy Nhon City, transportation of materials and manpower has been difficult, postponing completion to March next year.