KOVECA, a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 1992 to promote economic and cultural cooperation between Korea and Vietnam, has members who are scholars, businessmen, and individuals with the same intention of developing relations with Vietnam and supporting Vietnamese communities in Korea.
Koveca was founded in 1992 to promote economic and cultural cooperation between Korea and Vietnam, has six branches in Korea: Seoul (headquarters), Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Incheon, and Jeju. Koveca plans to open a representative office in Hanoi, Vietnam, in the near future.
Over the years, Koveca has worked to promote cooperation and development activities in Vietnam. Some of Koveca's notable activities in Vietnam in recent years include:
1992-2000: Koveca focused on promoting economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Korea by holding conferences, seminars, and trade promotions to introduce potential and investment opportunities in Vietnam to Korean businesses.
2000-2010: Koveca expanded its activities to culture, education, and tourism by coordinating with relevant agencies in both countries to provide exchange and cooperation programs.
2010-2022: Koveca continued to promote cooperation in economics, culture, education, and tourism.
Notably, from 1992 to 2022, Koveca organized many conferences, seminars, and trade promotions to introduce Vietnam's potential and investment opportunities to Korean businesses, helping Korea become the largest investor in Vietnam with a total registered investment capital of over $70 billion.
Koveca also provided many trade promotion activities, such as fairs, exhibitions, and business connections, to promote trade between Vietnam and Korea. As a result, trade turnover between the two countries has grown strongly, from $1.2 billion in 1992 to $79.2 billion in 2022.
It also coordinated with educational agencies of the two countries to organize exchange programs for students, scholars, and teachers, enabling thousands of Vietnamese and Korean students, scholars, and teachers to study, research, and teach in the two countries.
Building on its long history of achievements in Vietnam, Koveca pledges to actively promote local-level cooperation between Tuyen Quang province and a number of Korean localities.
In a discussion with Koveca Permanent Vice President and General Director Kwon Sung Taek about the orientation of connecting local cooperation between Tuyen Quang province and Korea, he explained that the idea is based on his new ideas and the theory of "mutual support." For example, Koveca could connect a coastal local with a mountainous one. This would allow the two sides to cooperate and complement each other in areas where they are lacking.
During his trip to Na Hang district on September 25, 2023, Koveca Permanent Vice President and General Director Kwon Sung Taek said he would work to develop tourism cooperation between Tuyen Quang province and Jeju province, Korea.
Jeju Province is home to Jeju Island, a volcanic island about 100 kilometers from the Korean mainland. Jeju is known for its beautiful natural landscapes and unique traditional Korean culture.
Hopefully, Kwon Sung Taek's idea of connecting and cooperating with Tuyen Quang province will bring practical benefits to Tuyen Quang province in particular and to localities of Vietnam in general.
Nguyen Thanh Hieu
