Seongnam City Signs Sister City Agreement with Thanh Hoa, Vietnam
Business Exchange and Economic Cooperation Accelerated...
Relationship Upgraded for the First Time in 12 Years
Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Shin Sangjin) has officially launched its global city diplomacy by signing a sister city agreement with Thanh Hoa, a strategic hub city in central-northern Vietnam.
Seongnam Mayor Shin Sangjin and Nguyen Van Thi, Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, are holding a sister city agreement ceremony at the People's Committee building of Thanh Hoa Province. Provided by Seongnam City
According to Seongnam City on June 21, the city held a sister city agreement ceremony at the People's Committee building of Thanh Hoa Province on June 20, formalizing the expansion of exchanges between the two cities in various fields such as administration, industry, culture, and education.
This agreement marks a significant achievement, elevating the relationship between the two cities for the first time in 12 years since the signing of a friendship and cooperation agreement in 2013. It is expected to serve as an opportunity to broaden Seongnam City's foundation for cooperation in the Asian region.
The signing ceremony was attended by Seongnam Mayor Shin Sangjin, Nguyen Van Thi, Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa Province, as well as other key officials from both cities, including Ahn Gwangrim, Vice Chairman of the Seongnam City Council, city council members, Lee Uijun, President of the Seongnam Industry Promotion Agency, and approximately 50 others.
Mayor Shin Sangjin stated, "Through this sister city agreement, Seongnam City and Thanh Hoa will pursue sustainable growth together and establish a practical cooperative relationship."
Prior to the agreement ceremony, the Seongnam delegation visited the Nghi Son Economic Zone to directly examine Thanh Hoa's industrial infrastructure and held detailed discussions on potential economic cooperation.
Seongnam Mayor Shin Sangjin and Nguyen Joan Ain Taing, Secretary of the Hwaseong Party Committee, are having a cordial talk. Photo by Seongnam City
In particular, at the Thanh Hoa investment briefing session and export consultation meeting, which included participation from 14 small and medium-sized enterprises from Seongnam, there were active business consultations between companies from both countries. Specific cooperation plans were also discussed for companies seeking to enter the local market. The Seongnam Industry Promotion Agency plans to actively support the expansion of Seongnam companies into the ASEAN market, using this visit as an opportunity.
After the investment briefing, a meeting was also held with Nguyen Joan Ain, Secretary of the Thanh Hoa Party Committee, where a wide range of topics were discussed, including administrative cooperation between the two cities and expanding exchanges in youth and culture. At the welcome dinner following the agreement ceremony, both cities reaffirmed their commitment to future cooperation, based on their longstanding friendship and mutual trust.
With this sister city agreement, Seongnam City and Thanh Hoa plan to carry out concrete exchange projects in various fields, including expanding business investment cooperation, revitalizing cultural, artistic, educational, and youth exchanges, and sharing policies on smart cities and urban development.
The Seongnam delegation is scheduled to conclude its visit to Thanh Hoa on the morning of June 21 and return to Korea on June 22. Following the sister city agreement with Huizhou, China, on June 18, Seongnam City has further expanded its scope of exchange and cooperation in Asia by also forming a sister city relationship with Thanh Hoa, Vietnam, thereby establishing a practical foundation for international cooperation that can be tangibly felt by both businesses and citizens.
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