Namyangju City Deputy Mayor Hong Ji-seon (left) and former Mayor of Ngoc Tu Binh City, Vietnam, held a leaders' meeting on the 24th. Namyangju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Joo Gwang-deok) announced on the 28th that it successfully completed a leaders' meeting and book donation ceremony during its official visit to Binh City.
A delegation of seven members, including Vice Mayor Hong Ji-seon, met with Party Secretary Pan Deuk-dong and former Mayor Tran Ngoc Thu of Binh City on the 24th to review the achievements of their exchanges so far and to hold detailed discussions to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their sister city relationship in 2025.
Former Mayor Tran Ngoc Thu expressed at the meeting, “Binh City hopes to share Namyangju City's experiences amid its current urban expansion and development,” indicating a willingness for continued exchanges.
Vice Mayor Hong Ji-seon of Namyangju City said, “Since 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of our sister city relationship with Binh City, we will actively promote mutual visits and youth exchanges.”
Following the meeting, the delegation visited the birthplace of Ho Chi Minh, the founding father of Vietnam, to understand the management status of Binh City's historical sites and inspected Dasan-ro, a road in Binh City named after Namyangju.
During this visit, Namyangju City also held a book donation ceremony aimed at spreading Korean culture and the philosophy of Dasan Jeong Yak-yong to the youth of Binh City. On the 25th, the delegation visited Thang Thai Mai Middle School and donated over 40 books, including Korean traditional fairy tales, recommended youth literature, and books related to Dasan Jeong Yak-yong, fostering cultural understanding between Korea and Vietnam.
The donated books included works by Han Kang, a Korean Nobel Literature Prize-winning author, such as White and The Boy Who Escaped, providing Binh City youth with opportunities to experience a wider range of Korean culture.
Vice Mayor Hong Ji-seon stated, “I hope that students in Binh City will feel closer to the Republic of Korea and Namyangju City through the donated books,” and added, “We will strive to make the exchange platform between the youth of both cities more active.”
Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, principal of Thang Thai Mai Middle School, said, “It is an honor that the Namyangju City delegation visited our school. We are grateful to Namyangju City for donating the books,” and added, “We will ensure that students and staff learn about Korean history, culture, and people through the donated books.”
Meanwhile, Thang Thai Mai Middle School, established in 1978 as a specialized secondary school, has maintained active exchanges with Namyangju youth, conducting online exchanges during the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitating mutual visits of youth from both cities last year.
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