Bonghwa County hosts event highlighting centuries-old Korea-Vietnam ties

연합뉴스 / 2025-08-25 16:20:12

▲ The extinguished guests and officials of South Korea and Vietnam celebrate the framework-raising ceremony for a multicultural community center, a Vietnam Day program, and the unveiling of a statue of Ly Thai To, the founder of Vietnam’s Ly dynasty who is regarded as the ancestor of the Vietnamese royal descendants in Bonghwa, on Aug. 25, 2025, in Bonghwa County, North Gyeongsang Province. The event is held as part of the state-run “K-Vietnam Valley” project. Photo courtesy of Bonghwa County. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Aug. 25 (Yonhap) -- An event celebrating the historical ties between Korea and Vietnam was held on Monday in Bonghwa County, North Gyeongsang Province, where descendants of the Vietnamese royal family have long resided.

The ceremony was attended by Ho An Phong, Vietnamese vice culture minister, Vu Ho, Vietnamese ambassador to South Korea, Rep. Lim Jong-deuk of South Korea's main opposition People Power Party (PPP), and Park Hyun-kuk, mayor of Bonghwa County, with some 800 local residents.

Bonghwa plans to establish a “K-Vietnam Valley” around Chunghyodang House by 2033. The event featured a framework-raising ceremony for a multicultural community center, a Vietnam Day program, and the unveiling of a statue of Ly Thai To, the founder of Vietnam’s Ly dynasty who is regarded as the ancestor of the Vietnamese royal descendants in Bonghwa.

The ties between the two countries trace back more than 800 years. In Changpyeong-ri, Bonghwa, lies the clan village of the Hwasan Lee family, descendants of Lee Yong-sang, the sixth-generation descendant of Ly Cong Uan, the Ly dynasty’s founding king. Chunghyodang House was built in honor of Lee Jang-bal, the family’s 13th-generation descendant, who died heroically in the Battle of Mungyeong during the Japanese invasions of Korea in the late 16th century.

The county plans to invest about 200 billion won (US$146 million) to develop the K-Vietnam Valley into a hub of bilateral exchange, including a history and culture content center and a multicultural international school.

The event also featured performances by a Vietnamese traditional art troupe and food tasting, allowing participants from both nations to commemorate ties that stretch back to the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392).

Officials of the two countries expect the K-Vietnam Valley to serve as a foundation for further strengthening bilateral relations.