Vietnamese and Korean businesses at a business matching event in HCM City on Monday. — VNS Photo Thu Hang

The Viet Nam-Republic of Korea (RoK) Business Week kicked off on October 31 in HCM City on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations.

The three-day event features a series of seminars on trade promotion, business matching events, and on-site visits to industrial parks in the southern region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vo Van Hoan, deputy chairman of HCM City People’s Committee, said that the event brought together Vietnamese and RoK businesses to showcase advanced technologies, exchange information and experience, and promote trade cooperation.

The RoK had become one of the key trade partners of Viet Nam and the RoK business community had played a vital role in bilateral trade achievements, Hoan said.

The RoK business community is the largest foreign business community in the city, with more than 2,000 businesses.

Many RoK brands have been increasingly popular and gained the trust of the city’s customers, according to Hoan.

Kim Tae-ho, executive vice president of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency’s Economic Cooperation & Trade Affairs, said that the two countries had become close partners over the last 30 years.

The RoK is the top foreign investor in Viet Nam with more than 9,000 active projects in various fields and is the third largest trading partner of Viet Nam.

Viet Nam is the third largest trade partner of RoK and the top investment destination in ASEAN.

The business week is part of the Viet Nam-Republic of Korea Culture, Trade and Investment Week in HCM City to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Eco-friendly technologies, smart health, smart farms, and IT are fields that businesses of the two countries are seeking to expand cooperation in, according to Kim.

The Viet Nam-Republic of Korea Culture, Trade and Investment Week is co-organised by the city Department for Foreign Affairs in coordination with the RoK’s General Consulate from October 28 to November 1. — VNS