Pyeongtaek City Signs Friendly Exchange Agreement with Da Nang City, Vietnam

Held as a Side Event to the Korea-Vietnam Summit
Jung Jangsun: "We Will Create a Model Case of Cooperation Between Local Governments"

Pyeongtaek City in Gyeonggi Province announced on August 11 that it held an "Agreement Exchange Ceremony for Friendly Exchange" with Da Nang City as a side event to the Korea-Vietnam summit held on the same day.

Jung Jangsun, mayor of Pyeongtaek (far right), and Nguyen Van Quang, party secretary of Da Nang City (far left), are holding up the "Friendship Exchange Agreement" as President Lee Jae-myung and General Secretary To Lam of Vietnam look on. Provided by Pyeongtaek City

At the event, Pyeongtaek Mayor Jung Jangsun and Da Nang City Party Secretary Nguyen Van Quang exchanged the agreement while President Lee Jaemyung and To Lam, General Secretary of Vietnam, looked on.

Previously, the two cities had signed a friendly exchange agreement in April. However, Pyeongtaek City explained that since Da Nang was elevated to a centrally governed city last month, the exchange ceremony was held again on this occasion.

The scope and details of the agreement between the two cities have also been expanded and specified. In addition to the economic, education, culture, and sports sectors included in the April agreement, cooperation in future industries and environmental fields has now been added. In particular, the new agreement contains specific provisions such as supporting and promoting the development of free trade zones in both cities and strengthening cooperation in advanced industries such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI).

Prior to the agreement exchange ceremony, Mayor Jung and Party Secretary Nguyen Van Quang met in Seoul the previous day for a discussion. During the meeting, both sides agreed on several points: dispatching experts in the fields of semiconductors and free trade zones, holding regular exchange meetings, and expanding cooperation in environmental areas such as carbon neutrality.

Mayor Jung stated, "The fact that an intergovernmental exchange event was held on a national diplomatic stage reflects the recognition by both governments of the need for practical cooperation in local regions and industrial sites," adding, "We will actively cooperate with Da Nang City to create a model case of intergovernmental cooperation between local governments."