Hue accelerates development of a smart cultural and tourism city

Beyond infrastructure development, the project aims to create public cultural spaces while contributing to a smart, identity-rich, and sustainable urban model.

On the afternoon of March 31 in Hue City, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in coordination with the Hue City People’s Committee, held a mid-term review workshop for the “Building Hue into a Smart Cultural and Tourism City” project.

The event was attended by Tran Huu Thuy Giang, Vice Chairman of the Hue City People’s Committee, and Ms Song Eun Eui, Deputy Country Director of the KOICA Viet Nam Office, along with KOICA representatives and Korean experts.

According to the mid-term summary report, the project is being implemented with more than 301 billion VND (approximately 13 million USD) in non-refundable official development assistance (ODA) from KOICA. It focuses on key components such as developing integrated cultural spaces, enhancing smart tourism infrastructure, and strengthening urban management and operational capacity.

Following its implementation, the project has completed a number of foundational tasks. Surveys assessing the current conditions, planning proposals, and preliminary design options have been carried out in a coordinated manner. Notably, key components such as the integrated cultural space at Da Vien Islet and a pedestrian bridge across the Huong River are gradually being concretised through detailed designs.

At the workshop, representatives of the KOICA Viet Nam Office stressed that this was not only an opportunity to review progress, but also “a significant milestone” in jointly shaping Hue’s urban future. Throughout implementation, the project has received close coordination from the Hue City People’s Committee, Project Management Unit No.1 (PMU1), and relevant agencies. Initial results indicate that the project is on the right track, with its components being approached not only from a technical perspective but also in close connection with the city’s socio-cultural life.

Notably, participants reviewed detailed designs of key components, including the integrated cultural space and the pedestrian bridge. These are considered symbolic works, not merely infrastructure, but “public projects with a mission to transform the future urban landscape and the daily lives of residents.”

As the funding and accompanying partner, the KOICA Viet Nam Office reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining close coordination with Hue City throughout the project’s implementation. The goal is not only to complete planned components, but also to build a replicable model of smart, culturally distinctive, and sustainable urban development.