Is There a Street Like Itaewon in Quy Nhon City, Vietnam?

Yongsan-gu Issues First 'Quynhon News'... Featuring Recent Updates and Key Activities of Yongsan International Exchange Office
...News Highlights Creation of 'Quynhon Culture and Arts Street' Modeled After Itaewon

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] A unique street similar to the Itaewon Tourism Special Zone has been created in Quy Nhon City, Vietnam. It is called the ‘Quy Nhon Culture and Arts Street.’ Located near Quy Nhon Ecological Lake Park, a 150-meter section of Le Duc To Street, famous for its seafood specialty restaurants, has been splendidly decorated with arch structures, fountains, and landscape lighting. Two public restrooms have also been installed. Every Friday and Saturday afternoon, the street operates as a vehicle-free zone.

It is a direct benchmark of Itaewon.

Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seongchang Hyun) delivered the news of the creation of ‘Quy Nhon Culture and Arts Street’ in Quy Nhon City, Vietnam, through its first issue of ‘Quy Nhon News.’

‘Quy Nhon News’ is a booklet created by the Yongsan International Exchange Office (Director Yoon Seong-bae) under the district office. It was first published at the end of February in two versions: Korean and Vietnamese.

The content can be checked on the office’s website (http://yongsanviet.tistory.com) or the Quy Nhon Sejong Institute Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/QUYNHONSEJONG). The district plans to continue publishing one issue every month.

The inaugural issue is 11 pages long. It includes recent news and major activities of the office, news from Quy Nhon City, local tourist attractions and recommended foods, and introductions of the office staff.

First, the recent news section features three topics: the 2020 winter special lectures at Quy Nhon Sejong Institute (January 7?17), attendance at the Quy Nhon City New Year’s meeting (January 13), and a visit to the Quy Nhon Mayor’s office (January 31).

The Quy Nhon Sejong Institute is a specialized education institution for Korean language and culture. It was established in 2016 within the International Exchange Office through a partnership between the district and the Sejong Institute Foundation. Currently, classes are held in two locations: the office’s third-floor classroom and the first-floor classroom of the Quy Nhon Lifelong Vocational Training Center. Each semester, about 300 students attend across 10 classes. In January, eight special lectures were held, including topics such as learning about Korea’s four seasons and making fans.

Among Quy Nhon City news, the selection as the ‘Best City in ASEAN Clean Tourism’ in 2020 stands out. On January 16, at the ‘ASEAN Tourism Forum’ held in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, Quy Nhon City met seven criteria including cleanliness, safety, and tourism infrastructure, achieving the highest recognition. Second place went to Hue City, Vietnam, and third place to Vung Tau City, Vietnam.

Additionally, the newsletter detailed local tourist spots such as Kiko Beach and Thap Doi, as well as local cuisine like Banh Xeo. Kiko Beach is a representative tourist destination of Quy Nhon, featuring a crescent-shaped coastline, emerald waters, and a cozy white sand beach. Thap Doi is a relic site of the Champa Kingdom, which once ruled central Vietnam. Banh Xeo, made with shrimp and beef, is known as a signature dish of Quy Nhon.

The staff introductions, written in an interview format, are also interesting. Currently, the Yongsan International Exchange Office has four staff members: Director Yoon Seong-bae, two district office dispatched employees, one teacher from Quy Nhon Sejong Institute, and one interpreter. Each shared candid stories about their experiences in Quy Nhon and their hopes for the new year 2020.

Seongchang Hyun, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, “It has already been four years since we established the International Exchange Office in Quy Nhon in 2016, marking the 20th anniversary of exchanges between Yongsan-gu and Quy Nhon City. Through ‘Quy Nhon News,’ we will be able to inform Yongsan residents and Quy Nhon citizens in detail about local activities.”

In 2016, the district established the International Exchange Office at 109 Tran Cao Van, near the Quy Nhon City Hall in Vietnam. The three-story building has a total floor area of 277 square meters and includes a Korean language classroom, a Korean library, a promotional exhibition hall, an administrative office, and staff accommodations.

Main tasks include operating the Sejong Institute and supporting domestic companies entering the Vietnamese market. A ‘Korea-Vietnam Business Conference’ is scheduled for the second half of this year.

Quy Nhon was the site where the Korean Army’s Maengho Unit was stationed during the Vietnam War. Yongsan-gu and Quy Nhon City have maintained human and material exchanges for 24 years to heal the painful wounds between the two countries. Representative activities include providing scholarships to children from low-income families in Quy Nhon, building houses of love, supporting outstanding students’ overseas studies, and providing cataract treatment support.

The opening ceremony of the 'Quy Nhon Cultural and Arts Street' held on January 18. Quy Nhon City in Vietnam created a unique cultural street locally by benchmarking the Itaewon Tourism Special Zone.

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