Seoul (VNA) – The North Gyeongsang province’s authority of the Republic of Korea (RoK) has proposed promoting the "K-Vietnam Valley" project in Bonghwa country as a national-level cultural cooperation and exchange initiative.
The proposal was presented during a meeting between officials of North Gyeongsang and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon on the occasion of his working trip to the locality on June 13.
Participants were briefed on the project, with the focus being the construction of a Vietnamese village in Bonghwa. Accordingly, the authorities of the province and Bonghwa county suggested that the “Vietnamese village" project should be promoted as a bilateral cultural exchange and cooperation initiative to enhance future relations between the RoK and Vietnam rather than just being a local-level project.
Governor of North Gyeongsang Lee Cheol-woo emphasised that the "Vietnamese village" project is a foundation for promoting cultural exchange and cooperation and connecting the past and future of the two nations, stressing that the locality hopes to receive support from both the RoK and Vietnamese governments for the project.
The 150-million-USD village project, is developed based on the historical exchange between the Ly dynasty and the RoK years ago. It is expected to breath fresh air into Bonghwa’s development through creating new jobs in rural areas and promoting tourism, among others. Bonghwa county is home to a hall of the Ly Hoa Son (Lee Hwasan) clan, who are descendants of Ly Long Tuong, a prince of the Ly dynasty that ruled Vietnam between the 11th and 13th century.
After the Ly reign of the country fell into the hands of the Tran dynasty in 1225, Tuong fled to Goryeo, now the Korean Peninsula, where he and his followers received a warm welcome by local King Kojong.
Goryeo was by then being threatened by the Mongol Empire. The Vietnamese prince allied with King Kojong in fighting the Mongolian aggression.
The defeat of the Mongolians earned him the king’s trust and respect. Tuong lived in the RoK until the day he died and became the founder of the Ly Hoa Son clan there./.
