"Toward Closer Cooperation"
Busan Mayor Park Hyungjun met with Vietnamese President Luong Cuong and agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation.
The Busan Metropolitan Government announced that Vietnamese President Luong Cuong officially visited Busan on November 1, after completing his schedule at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Gyeongju.
An official meeting was held that day at the KF ASEAN Culture House. Mayor Park expressed his gratitude, saying, "I appreciate that, following the visit of General Secretary To Lam in August, the President has also come to Busan. With the opening of the Vietnamese Consulate General in Busan, I feel that Busan and Vietnam are closer than ever."
He continued, "The fact that the President visited Busan immediately after the APEC Summit adds even greater significance to the deep friendship and cooperation between our two countries," extending a warm welcome.
Busan has been actively engaging in exchanges with Vietnam. In August, the city hosted the 30th anniversary celebration of the Busan-Ho Chi Minh sister city relationship and a business forum. In September, high-ranking Vietnamese officials visited Busan for training programs focused on urban development and climate crisis response, further establishing the foundation for cooperation.
Mayor Park stated, "Currently, Vietnam is Korea's third-largest trading partner, and Korea is Vietnam's top investor. About 14,000 Vietnamese residents and over 5,000 Vietnamese students live and study in Busan. They will serve as a strong bridge connecting the future of both countries."
President Luong Cuong responded, "I am deeply impressed to visit Busan, Korea's economic and cultural hub. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, Busan has played a key role in the comprehensive partnership between Korea and Vietnam, which has developed over the past 33 years."
On the same day, President Luong Cuong attended the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the KF ASEAN Culture House to strengthen artistic and cultural exchange and joint exhibition cooperation between the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. He also participated in a meeting with the Vietnamese community in Korea.
He expressed his gratitude for Busan's special support in establishing the Vietnamese Consulate General in Busan, saying, "I hope this will further strengthen cooperation with local governments in Vietnam and lead to even greater achievements." He added, "Based on the accomplishments and potential of our cooperation so far, I hope to see active exchanges between local governments in various fields such as ports and logistics. I also wish for the successful hosting of the APEC Summit in An Giang Province, Vietnam, in 2027."
He further noted, "Currently, about 350,000 Korean nationals reside in Vietnam, while about 200,000 Vietnamese nationals live in Korea. We will strengthen cooperation to ensure that people in both countries can enjoy stable and happy lives, and I hope that bilateral trade will reach 150 billion dollars by 2030."
President Luong Cuong concluded, "I wish for the continued development and prosperity of Busan, and hope that our two countries will move forward together toward mutual prosperity, stability, and shared interests."
Mayor Park Hyungjun stated, "I hope President Luong Cuong's visit to Busan will deepen the special friendship between our two countries and further advance economic, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges. Busan will continue to work with Vietnam to open a path of shared growth, not only in Asia but also on the global stage."
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