Hanoi, Seoul foster stronger ties in smart urban development

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Vu Dai Thang and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon vowed to deepen collaboration in innovation, urban planning and people-to-people exchanges during their meeting in Hanoi last week.

The host said, the two capitals have built a close and dynamic relationship over the past three decades, praising the major contribution Korean businesses have made to Hanoi's economic progress, especially in manufacturing, urban development and high-tech research.

Building on three decades of cooperation, the two capital cites aim to broaden practical and effective collaboration to create creative, modern and livable cities for future generations, he said.

He expressed strong admiration for Seoul's achievements in revitalizing the Han River and in digital transformation and technological innovation.

Hanoi is entering a new phase of development and the Red River planning project will serve as a strategic foundation, he shared, expressing his hope to deepen cooperation with Seoul and Korean businesses to realize this vision.

The capital city pledges to expand cooperation with Seoul in smart urban development, high technology and long-term Red River planning, underlined the Hanoi leader.

Young talent will play a crucial role in connecting the two capitals, he said, expecting that more Hanoi students will have opportunities to study and conduct research in Seoul.

The capital city also plans to expand cultural and tourism exchanges, supported by increasing air connectivity between the two cities, the Hanoi chairman added.

For his part, Oh said, Hanoi's supportive environment has allowed large corporations such as Samsung, along with many small and medium-sized firms, to invest confidently and operate stably in the city.

South Korean businesses stand ready to contribute more to human resource training, especially for young talent and industries where both cities share strengths, emphasized the guest.

He lauded Hanoi's long-term plans for Red River development, stating that the successful implementation would strengthen the city's economic capacity and improve living conditions for residents.

As Seoul will host the annual Smart Life Week from 2026, Oh expected that the event will become a platform for Hanoi and other regional cities to share solutions for urban management and technology application, reported VGP.

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Vu Dai Thang hosts a reception for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Hanoi, December 5, 2025 - Photo: VGP

Earlier, in September, Hanoi rolled out a new action plan to accelerate its transformation into a smart, green, modern, and globally connected city by 2030.

Specifically, the city aims to integrate into national, regional, and global smart city networks, while driving growth across the Red River Delta, the northern key economic region, and the country as a whole.

The city is targeting leadership in data-driven governance, digital technology adoption, and advanced data analytics across state agencies and socio-economic sectors.

Smart city building will prioritize cybersecurity, digital sovereignty, and information security. Key focuses include upgrading infrastructure for science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation, while also attracting and developing high-quality talent.

Practical applications will cover smart traffic management, cashless toll collection, intelligent parking, smart lighting, energy, and water systems. Hanoi will also encourage pilot projects that test new technologies and services in line with national science, technology, and digital transformation strategies.

Vietnam welcomes more than 19 million international visitors in 11 months

Vietnam welcomed 19.15 million international visitors in the first 11 months of 2025, up 20.9% year-on-year and surpassing its pre-pandemic peak of more than 18 million arrivals, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT).

The number of foreign tourist arrivals in November reached 1.98 million, an increase of 14.2% from October and 15.6% compared to the same month in 2024. It was the month with the third-highest figure this year, after January and March, both of which exceeded 2 million visitors.

A UN Tourism report highlighted Vietnam’s performance as one of the most notable recoveries worldwide. While tourism across the Asia–Pacific has rebounded to only around 90% of pre-COVID levels, Vietnam is among a select group of destinations, alongside Japan, recording rapid and sustained growth, it said.

According to the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance, revenue from accommodation and catering services in the January–November period was estimated at 767 trillion VND (29 billion USD), accounting for 12% of total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue, and up 14.6% year-on-year.

Several localities registered notable growth compared to the same period last year, including Ho Chi Minh City (up 17.3%), Da Nang (15.8%), Hanoi (13.4%), Can Tho (12.2%), and Hai Phong (11.6%).

Since the beginning of 2025, many provinces and cities have actively launched tourism stimulus programmes and diversified their tourism products. As a result, travel and tourism revenue in the first 11 months was estimated at 85.4 trillion VND, accounting for 1.4% of total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue, and increasing by 19.9% year-on-year. Hanoi posted growth of 23.4%, followed by Ho Chi Minh City (22.3%), Quang Ninh (18.2%), Vinh Long (14.1%), and Da Nang (13.2%), reported VNA.

Foreign visitors are touched to receive meaningful gifts from their Vietnamese friends (Photo: VietnamPlus)

China remained Vietnam’s largest source market, recording nearly 4.8 million visitors, equivalent to one-quarter of all international arrivals. The Republic of Korea (RoK) ranked second with more than 3.9 million visitors. Chinese Taipei, the US and Japan rounded out the top five. India, Cambodia, Russia, Malaysia and Australia made up the remainder of the top ten.

European markets also continued to record solid growth, demonstrating the impact of Vietnam’s visa-waiver policy. Strong performers included the UK (up 20.7%), France (up 21.4%), Germany (up 16.6%), along with Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. This impressive performance has been attributed to favourable visa policies, intensified tourism promotion and marketing campaigns, and a series of large-scale events held across localities, all of which have helped attract large numbers of international visitors.

Notably, Russian arrivals reached 593,000, an increase of 190.9% year-on-year. Russia continued to be Vietnam’s largest European market and the fastest-growing source market in the region.

Tropical depression weakens, no longer threatens the sea

The tropical depression over the central Philippines weakened into a low-pressure area on the afternoon of December 8, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported.

At 1 p.m., the center of the low-pressure area was located at approximately 11.6°N latitude and 119.8°E longitude, over the eastern coastal area of Palawan Island (Philippines). Maximum sustained winds at the center have dropped below level 6 (under 39 km/h).

Forecasts indicate that over the next 12 hours, the low-pressure area will continue moving west-southwest at 10–15 km/h, gradually weakening and dissipating, cited VOV.

Track map of the tropical depression.

As a result, the system no longer poses a threat of strong winds at sea. Updates on strong winds and high waves across the East Sea will continue to be provided through regular advisories on sea winds, waves, and thunderstorms. This is the final bulletin regarding this tropical depression.

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