Cultural Festival Boosts Vietnam-RoK Ties

At the sixth Vietnam-Republic of Korea cultural exchange festival in the Jeonnam-Gwangju region. Photo courtesy of association

The sixth Vietnam-Republic of Korea (RoK) cultural exchange festival in the Jeonnam-Gwangju region, about 500 km from Seoul, has taken place on October 9.

Taking place at Chosun University, the event was an activity towards the 30th anniversary of diplomatic establishment between Vietnam and the RoK.

Vietnamese students, workers, community living in the RoK to participate in a string of activities featuring Vietnam-RoK cultures, including Vietnam’s photo exhibition, dance performances, a show of Vietnam’s traditional dress and folk games; free health check and promotional activities of sponsors; scholarship and gratitude ceremony, legal and medical advice for employees.

They also had chances to taste Vietnamese food and learn how to cook Vietnamese dishes.

Starting from 2013, the Vietnam Cultural Festival in Jeonnam-Gwangju region is regularly held to create a fun space for the Vietnamese community in the RoK, while promoting the beauty, culture and traditions of Vietnam to Korean and international friends.

This festival is an opportunity to raise the status of the Vietnamese community in the Jeonnam-Gwangju region in particular, in the RoK as well as in the international arena in general.

Especially through this event, the children of Vietnamese expatriates living abroad will understand more about the homeland, Korean friends will get to know more about the unique traditional culture of Vietnam, and help strengthen the relationship, cooperation and friendship between two countries.

Youth wears Vietnamese traditional costume at the event. Photo courtesy of association

In 11 years, the Vietnamese Association in Jeonnam-Gwangju has organized many activities such as: charity program to build a football field and give gifts to poor children in Bac Giang province; organizing the first ever Jeonnam Gwangju Regional Sports Festival; accompanying futsal tournament of Naju city; signing a MOU with the largest eye hospital in Gwangju city; the Cultural Festival in Jeonnam-Gwangju.

The assocition also organized meetings, exchanges and connections with the Nanum Literary Association of RoK and Hai Phong Poet Association; supporting free masks for the community; and the program calling for donations to support the Central region of Vietnam.

Particularly, in 2022, the association signed a cooperation agreement with the Multicultural Family Support Center of Jangheung district in Jeonnam province; opening three free Vietnamese classes for children in Jeonnam-Gwangju (two semesters); and an MOU signing ceremony with Seoul Woori Ai Dental Clinic to provide 20% discount on medical examination and treatment fees for members.

Earlier, on October 8, the opening ceremony of the office of Vietnamese Association in Jeonnam-Gwangju took place. This was an important event marking the association’s active activity and strong growth after 11 years of establishment.

The opening ceremony was attended by Ambassador of Vietnam in the RoK Nguyen Vu Tung and his spouse, secretaries in charge of Vietnamese departments in RoK and other officials of department of Labor Management in the RoK.

The ceremony also received many participations from Korean delegates such as the RoK’s National Assembly Sin Joonghun, mayor of Naju city, head of Immigration Department of Mokpo, Gwangju and directors of various agencies, partner companies of the Vietnamese association in Joennam-Gwangju.

At the event, the cooperation signing ceremony between the association and G.S.M International Manpower Joint Stock Company took place.

Ambassador of Vietnam in the RoK Nguyen Vu Tung speaks at the the opening of the office of Vietnamese Association in Jeonnam-Gwangju. Photo courtesy of association

In the near future, the association also will sign cooperation agreements with obstetrics and gynecology hospitals in Gwangju, general hospital in Naju, general hospital in Mokpo to bring benefit members; giving Lunar New Year (Tet) gifts to people in the area facing many difficulties.

At the same time, the association also continues to recruit new members and conduct activities related to members such as issuing member cards, sharing information on benefits, exchanging and uniting the community.

Currently, more than 150,000 Vietnamese people are living and working in the RoK, with one third being guest workers. The number is increasing fast together with strong development of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and the RoK, particularly in people-to-people diplomacy.