To maintain the success of “Vietnam days in America, Germany, and Singapore” in 2005 and in Belgium-Luxembourg in 2006 and Great Britain in 2007, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), in cooperation with related industries, organized “Vietnam Days in Korea” to be held in Seoul from May 21st to 25th, 2007.
Mr Pham Gia Tuc- General Secretary of VCCI said the programme aims to strengthen cooperation between Vietnam and Korea, broadcasting the images of Vietnamese, products, enterprises and the investment environment in Vietnam, associating commerce, investment and culture in the general programme. In addition, Vietnam also wants to promote export, attract investment and Korean tourists into the country. Nearly 100 Vietnamese enterprises will participate in the program, including big corporations in oil and gas, telecommunications, shipbuilding, coal-mineral and industrial zones.
One of Vietnam’s main activities in the programme is holding conferences promoting commerce, investment and tourism between the two countries. Mr Tuc also said nearly 400 enterprises registered to participate the program and “in fact, some contacts, and shared projects are ready to be signed on this occasion”. He added conferences in Vietnam would provide investors opportunities after its WTO accession.
Beyond balanced and stable commercial development between the two countries and tourist attraction into Vietnam, the program also includes business community meetings and market surveys in Seoul and Bussan. Vietnam will offer a picture exhibition introducing the political, diplomat, and economic relations of the two countries, as well as Vietnamese people, country, and tourism. A state reception includes promoting diplomatic relations, introducing Vietnamese culture, drinking and eating.
Vietnam and Korea established diplomatic relations December 22nd, 1992. Economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries have developed rapidly. Korea ranks tenth in Vietnam’s export market and fourth in terms of Vietnam’s trading partners. In investment, by end-2006 Korea ranked third among countries investing in Vietnam, with a total US$7.8 billion. A survey showed 55.6 per cent of Korean investors earning profit in Vietnam.
The two countries are cooperating in investment, especially in industries such as information technology, textile and garment, mechanical manufacturing, minerals and energy. In addition, Vietnam encourages Korean investors to invest in aquaculture and agricultural product processing for export to Korea, to decrease its trade gap.
In labor cooperation, since 2004 Vietnam and Korea signed new contracts sending Vietnamese laborers to Korea. There are now 30 thousand Vietnamese laborers working there.
Since July 1st, 2004, Koreans are allowed entry to Vietnam without a visa for 15 days. This makes Vietnam a great destination for Korean tourists, whose numbers increase 30 per cent annually.
Lan Anh
Vietnamese
