The opening ceremony had the participation of Mr. Shin Choong Il, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Ho Chi Minh City; Mr. Truong Quang Hoai Nam, Deputy Head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations; Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu, Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of Can Tho City Party Committee; Mr. Duong Tan Hien, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Can Tho City People's Committee; Mr. Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee; as well as representatives from organizations, businesses, and the South Korean community residing and working in Ho Chi Minh City and the provinces and cities of the Mekong Delta.

This year's festival lasts over two days (October 5 and 6). The event features various cultural experiences, cuisine showcases, and tourism-education exhibitions from both countries. There are K-pop dance performances, art displays, Taekwondo exchanges, and a cooking class for visitors to learn how to make kimchi and spring rolls. In addition, there are also displays of typical products from Can Tho City.

During the opening ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee, highlighted that RoK has become one of the largest investors in Vietnam and the second-largest partner in development cooperation. Additionally, RoK is the third-largest partner in trade and labor collaboration and Vietnam's most significant tourist market in 2023. The two countries vigorously promote cooperation in various fields, including culture, education, healthcare, people-to-people exchange, and local collaboration.

Special art performances at Vietnam – South Korea Cultural Day Festival in Can Tho City.

RoK currently holds the third position in the list of foreign investors in Can Tho city, with 10 projects worth nearly US$260 million.

In 2012, Can Tho City signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Jeollanam province of RoK to cooperate in agriculture, aquaculture, education, culture, and other areas. Since then, the two sides have engaged in numerous delegation exchange activities, staff training, and experience sharing in various fields.

According to Vice Chairman Nguyen Thuc Hien, the cooperative relationship between Can Tho City and its Korean partners is growing more robust based on their existing good relationship. The two sides engage in diverse cooperative activities across various departments and sectors, indicating the potential for further expanding their collaboration.

Additionally, the Vietnam - South Korea Cultural Day Festival held in Can Tho City in 2022 garnered a positive response, particularly from the youth. This event showcased the importance of cultural respect and understanding as a foundation for building empathy and trust, ultimately leading to increased opportunities for cooperation in various fields. This cultural exchange is expected to bring about mutually beneficial connections for both countries' people and businesses.

Representatives of the Department of External Affairs of Can Tho City, the Korean Cultural Center in Vietnam, the Department of Education and Training of Can Tho City, and the Korean Language Center in Ho Chi Minh City announced the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in culture and education.

The leaders of Can Tho City believe that the Vietnam - South Korea Cultural Day Festival will bring vibrant cultural experiences to all people, especially the city youth and neighboring areas. It will also create more opportunities for cooperation among businesses, contributing to the integration of South Korean and Vietnamese values and products into the lives of both nations. This will deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and RoK.

Mr. Shin Choong Il, Consul General of the RoK in Ho Chi Minh City, sincerely thanks the Organizing Committee for carefully preparing the above cultural event. He stated that he will continue to support further developing the cooperative relationship between RoK and Vietnam and Can Tho City, especially in education. This includes creating conditions for increased exchange among international students of the two countries and supporting cooperation connections between educational institutions and businesses.

During the opening ceremony, the Department of Foreign Affairs of Can Tho City, the Korean Cultural Center in Vietnam, the Department of Education and Training of Can Tho City, and the Korean Language Center in Ho Chi Minh City announced signing a Memorandum of Understanding.

The Vietnam - South Korea Cultural Day Festival features exchange programs and performances by artists from Korea, Ho Chi Minh City, and students from universities in Can Tho City.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Xuan, Chairman of the Study Promotion Association of Can Tho City, awarded scholarships to disadvantaged Vietnamese and Korean children at the event.

During this event, the People's Committee of Can Tho City and the RoK Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City raised funds to grant scholarships to disadvantaged students who have excelled in their studies and to Vietnamese-Korean children facing challenging circumstances. More than 600 million VND was collected for this cause. Three hundred eleven scholarships were awarded, and the funds were transferred to the Study Promotion Association of Can Tho City for distribution to the children. At the opening ceremony, the Study Promotion Association of Can Tho City presented nine scholarships to Vietnamese-Korean children under challenging circumstances.

* Earlier that morning, the RoK delegation, led by Mr. Shin Choong IL, Consul General of RoK in Ho Chi Minh City, had a working session with Can Tho City People's Committee leaders.

At the meeting, Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee Nguyen Thuc Hien shared information about Can Tho's socio-economic situation with the RoK delegation. He also discussed the preferential policies aimed at attracting foreign investment. Vice Chairman Nguyen Thuc Hien strongly desires to expand cooperation with RoK in various fields such as healthcare, education and training, exchange activities, and programs to support married migrant women returning home, as well as children of Vietnamese-Korean multicultural families. Of particular note was the discussion about the construction and development of the Vietnam-South Korea Industrial Technology Incubator in Can Tho City.

Mr. Shin Choong IL, South Korea Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, affirmed his commitment to promoting and developing cooperative relations with Can Tho City in various fields. He also hoped that Can Tho City would continue to support and pay attention to Korean enterprises investing in the city.

On this occasion, the Department of External Affairs of Can Tho City and the Korean Cultural Center in Vietnam signed an MoU for cultural exchange cooperation. The aim is to enhance information exchange, promote cultural exchange and research activities, and create a foundation for expanding cooperation to other fields suitable for both parties' development needs.