At the event, Thang stressed that looking back on their three decades of friendship (1996–2026), bilateral cooperation between the two capitals of Ha Noi and Seoul has been continuously strengthened and expanded across key areas such as urban management and development, planning, transport, e-government, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
Appreciating Seoul’s outstanding achievements in modern, sustainable and innovative urban development, he affirmed that these are also strategic orientations that Ha Noi is prioritising in the process of building a civilised and modern capital city of time-honoured culture.
The leaders of the two capitals agreed that to promote more substantive cooperation, future collaboration will focus on four key areas.
The first covers smart city building, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, including the application of technology, big data and artificial intelligence in urban governance, smart traffic management, public services and urban data.
The second involves public transport and green, sustainable urban development, which will see stronger exchanges of experience and experts in developing urban railways and public transport, improving the environment, upgrading river areas and developing public spaces.
Science – technology, innovation, investment and business connectivity form the third area. Its focus will be the establishment of a regular mechanism connecting the cities’ businesses and innovation ecosystems.
The last one consists of people-to-people exchanges, culture, education and tourism with a focus on enhancing the most sustainable foundation of Ha Noi–Seoul relations, which is the bonds and mutual understanding between their citizens, through the joint organisation of cultural events and friendship exchanges, as well as cooperation in education and tourism development.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of their friendship, the two sides are set to move towards discussions on and the signing of a new-period cooperation agreement in the above-mentioned areas, with a view to soon establishing a new framework. This is expected to mark a shift from sharing experience to jointly implementing specific programmes and projects that bring practical benefits to their peoples.
With a large Vietnamese community living, studying and working in Seoul in particular and the RoK in general, Thang expressed his hope that the Seoul municipal administration will continue to pay attention to and create favourable conditions for the group to settle down, study, work and integrate well, making positive contributions to local development.
Concluding the meeting, the Seoul mayor once again affirmed the importance of the long-standing close partnership between the two capitals, which plays a positive role in deepening the Viet Nam–RoK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Seoul will actively coordinate with and accompany Ha Noi towards a new stage of development that is more substantive, effective, innovative, and future-oriented, Oh stated.
