By Lee Jon-young

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province engaged in regional diplomacy by visiting Da Nang and Quang Ngai, Vietnam, from August 6 to 8, following up on its visit to Indonesia and Vietnam in August. This visit was part of the Jeju-ASEAN Plus Alpha policy.

On August 4, Jeju signed a practical exchange agreement with Da Nang, which is not only a representative tourist destination but also a central hub city in Vietnam.

Da Nang possesses one of Vietnam's top five trading ports and boasts a high level of information technology (IT) infrastructure. Additionally, it has seen an increase in investment from countries such as Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province participated in the "2023 Da Nang Korea-Vietnam Festival" and promoted Jeju's values at the Jeju booth for three days. Furthermore, it introduced the winning entries from the 26th Annual Tourism Souvenir Contest for 2023.

The delegation from Jeju, including the Director of Tourism and Exchange, attended the opening ceremony and official welcome banquet. During these events, they met with officials from the Da Nang People's Committee, including Vice Chairman Tran Chi Cuong, as well as Kang Bu-sung, the Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Da Nang, to strengthen the exchange network between Jeju and Da Nang and explore ways to expand Jeju-style public diplomacy.

Meanwhile, in Quang Ngai, Vietnam, the Jeju delegation discussed concrete cooperation plans between Jeju and Quang Ngai with government officials, including Huynh Thi Phuong Hoa, Head of the Quang Ngai Province Foreign Affairs Department. They also promised to visit Quang Ngai again in the future.

Quang Ngai, located near Da Nang, is an industrial city where the secondary sector, including industry and construction, accounts for 40% of its economy. It operates economic special zones and four industrial parks, along with 18 industrial clusters. The presence of numerous domestic chemical companies indicates high growth potential in the industrial sector.

By revisiting Vietnam as a follow-up to their visits to Indonesia and Vietnam last month, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province has strengthened the exchange network between Jeju and Da Nang and Quang Ngai. Director Byeon Deok-seung of the Jeju Tourism and Exchange Department stated, "In various fields such as tourism, investment, trade, agriculture, and fisheries, we will consistently promote both human and material exchanges."