On August 13, 2025, the Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) – Busan Business Forum, jointly organized by the People’s Committee of HCMC and the Busan Metropolitan Government, took place in Busan, South Korea. The event was attended by General Secretary To Lam and his spouse, Ngo Phuong Ly, leaders of the HCMC People’s Committee, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation.

The forum served as a promotional activity to materialize the cooperation agreements between HCMC and Busan. It aimed to showcase the strengths, development priorities, and key areas for collaboration of both cities, while fostering business connections to leverage mutual advantages, bring tangible benefits, and contribute to the socio-economic development of each locality.

DEFINING A NEW STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

In his opening remarks, Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha, Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee, emphasized that over the past 30 years, HCMC and Busan have forged strong cooperative ties across diverse fields, including trade, investment, education, healthcare, logistics, high technology, smart city development, and marine tourism. The cooperation between the two cities goes beyond economic indicators, serving as a partnership that adapts to and leads new development trends such as the digital economy, green economy, and sustainable global connectivity.

Additionally, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Toan, Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Finance, introduced five strategic cooperation priorities of the city: high-tech industries and semiconductors; logistics and seaports leveraging the deep-water port in Ba Ria – Vung Tau; international finance and trade services; high-quality education, healthcare, and tourism; and smart city and green economy development.

BECAMEX IDC BINH DUONG’S PROMINENT ROLE

At the forum, Mr. Nguyen The Duy – Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Deputy CEO of Becamex IDC – presented to the Korean business community the company’s comprehensive industrial ecosystem, oriented towards an eco-industrial park and industrial symbiosis model for HCMC (post-merger), backed by modern infrastructure and high added value for investors.

Notably, Becamex signed a series of strategic Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with leading Korean corporations:

1. Busan Port Authority (BPA) – Establish a strategic partnership to promote cooperation in port infrastructure development, logistics, and supply chain connectivity; inland and industrial projects; digital transformation and smart industrial ecosystems; and eco-friendly smart port systems.

2. Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) – Implement the Urban Growth Partnership Program under a government-to-government (G2G). A framework to develop Ho Chi Minh City into a model smart city in Vietnam, and jointly promote the UGPP project on smart urban and industrial development.

3. LS Electric (LSE) – Collaborate on advanced engineering and smart factory solutions in Vietnam, such as Digital Twin, MES, Warehouse Management Systems, AMR/AGV, and Machine Vision Inspection systems.

WTC BINH DUONG NEW CITY – LINKING OPPORTUNITIES, INSPIRING GLOBAL IMPACT

WTC Binh Duong New City (WTC BDNC) was honored to accompany the Ho Chi Minh City delegation at this remarkable event, marking a significant milestone in the diplomatic relations and economic cooperation between Vietnam and South Korea.

The 30th Anniversary Celebration not only strengthened the solidarity between the two localities but also opened up opportunities for WTC BDNC to promote trade, investment, and cultural exchange. At the event, WTC BDNC actively introduced its MICE service ecosystem and shared its vision of becoming a dynamic regional trade hub.

This forum represented a pivotal moment in Vietnam–Korea strategic partnership, highlighting Becamex and WTC BDNC’s role in advancing industrial development and strengthening international outreach for both Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong.