Dong Nai City, Vietnam, hosts '2026 Meet Korea' to expand investment cooperation between South Korea and Vietnam

【Hanoi, Vietnam — Correspondent Kim Jun-seok】The '2026 Meet Korea' event, aimed at significantly expanding economic and investment cooperation between local governments and businesses in South Korea and Vietnam, officially opened on the 15th in Dong Nai City, a key industrial hub in southern Vietnam, with government officials and businesspeople from both countries in attendance.
According to local media on the 15th, '2026 Meet Korea,' co-hosted by Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Dong Nai City People's Committee, was held that day in Dong Nai City. Attendees included South Korean Ambassador to Vietnam Lee Mi-yeon, Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Jeong Jeong-tae, and around 200 South Korean businesspeople operating locally.
In her opening ceremony speech that day, Ambassador Lee Mi-yeon said, "Since shortly after diplomatic relations were established between the two countries, Korean companies have actively invested in Dong Nai's manufacturing, components and materials, and logistics sectors." She added, "South Korea is currently Dong Nai City's largest investor and has created at least 170,000 high-quality jobs, making a key contribution to local economic development and economic cooperation between the two countries." Ambassador Lee added that these achievements were thanks to continued confidence and increased investment by Korean companies, as well as active support from the Dong Nai City government.
Ambassador Lee went on to emphasize, "I hope Korean companies will further expand their investment in Dong Nai City in future industries, including eco-friendly advanced components and materials, smart logistics and smart cities, critical minerals, and the defense industry."
Võ Tấn Đức, deputy secretary of the Dong Nai City Party Committee, said, "This event is an opportunity to review the achievements of past cooperation, hear about the difficulties businesses face, and explore deeper and more effective investment ties." He added, "Dong Nai City will swiftly resolve the practical difficulties Korean companies encounter, while actively introducing the region's development plans, potential, and incentive policies to encourage long-term investment."
Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Ngô Lê Văn said, "Dong Nai City is a strategically important hub in the southern industrial, manufacturing, and logistics networks, and is home to Long Thanh International Airport, which is nearing its opening. It has great potential to grow into a multifunctional growth hub and innovation center for Vietnam." He expressed hope that "this event will help create new opportunities for cooperation between Korean companies and major localities in Vietnam, including Dong Nai City."
The event featured two thematic sessions, followed by discussions among officials from both countries: “Elevating the Korea-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: Breakthroughs in Trade, Sustainable Investment, and Developing High-Quality Talent for the Digital Age” and “Promoting Science and Technology and Cultural Industries Amid Digital Transformation: Fostering Eco-Friendly, Sustainable, and Inclusive Growth.”
South Korea is currently Vietnam's largest investor and third-largest trading partner, with approximately 10,600 projects and total registered investment of at least $102.7 billion (about 138 trillion won). As of August this year, cumulative trade between the two countries reached $82 billion (about 110 trillion won), a record high for the same period. In Dong Nai City alone, South Korea remains the largest investor, with 469 active projects and cumulative investment of $8.37 billion (about 11.3 trillion won).

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