Quang Ninh has identified translating cooperation agreements into concrete outcomes, improving the investment environment and attracting high-tech projects as key directions for enhancing the quality of growth, expanding economic ties and strengthening international integration. South Korea is a potential partner, with considerable strengths for cooperation across various fields. The Quang Ninh city is proactively expanding connections and promoting external relations to turn cooperation opportunities with South Korea into specific programmes and projects.
The Viet Nam-South Korea relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in December 2022, providing a favourable framework for expanding bilateral cooperation. In 2007, Quang Ninh and Gangwon Province signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation. Both are also members of the East Asia Inter-Regional Tourism Forum (EATOF), which provides a platform for sharing experience and promoting tourism. In addition to Gangwon, Quang Ninh has established cooperation ties with Jeju Province and Gwangju City. In August 2026, Quang Ninh City signed a friendship and cooperation agreement with Cheongju City in Chungcheong Province, opening up further opportunities for cooperation between the two localities.
Investment promotion is one of the key areas of cooperation. As of October 2026, Quang Ninh had 252 valid foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, with total registered capital of nearly US$17.12 billion. Of these, 167 were located in industrial parks and economic zones, with combined registered capital of US$10.31 billion. Korean investors had invested in 15 projects, with total registered capital of approximately US$540 million, accounting for 3.1% of the city’s total registered FDI capital.
In recent years, Quang Ninh has strengthened engagement with the Embassy of South Korea in Viet Nam, the Korea Chamber of Business in Vietnam (KOCHAM), the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), and Korean organisations and businesses to promote investment and business cooperation. Areas of interest include processing and manufacturing, industrial park infrastructure, logistics, energy, environmental protection, tourism and services. The city is also focusing on supporting businesses and strengthening links between FDI enterprises and domestic companies.
Tourism is another important area of cooperation, with South Korea being one of Quang Ninh’s key international visitor markets. From 2021 to 2025, Quang Ninh recorded approximately 542,250 arrivals by Korean tourists, while the figure reached 99,920 in the first nine months of 2026. The city will continue to promote its tourist attractions, strengthen connections among travel businesses and develop tourism products tailored to the preferences of Korean visitors. The possibility of establishing air links between Van Don International Airport and South Korea is also being explored.
Cooperation in education and human resource development is being maintained through training partnerships, exchanges of lecturers and students, Korean-language teaching, scientific research and employment cooperation. Ha Long University has established partnerships with various Korean educational institutions and organisations. Meanwhile, Quang Ninh Vietnam-South Korea College was built with official development assistance (ODA) loans from the Korean government and counterpart funding from the local government, contributing to vocational training and technology transfer.
Building on existing partnerships and the strengths and potential of both sides, Quang Ninh City will continue to strengthen ties with Korean partners, focusing on investment, trade, tourism and education to make bilateral cooperation more substantive and effective.
By Minh Duc
