Ansan stands as one of South Korea's core heavy and manufacturing industry hubs, with a population of nearly 730,000. The city serves as a vital national component supply engine, anchored by the Banwol-Sihwa Industrial Complex, which brings together tens of thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises specializing in precision machinery, electronic equipment, semiconductors, and textiles. Currently, Ansan is accelerating the construction of smart industrial clusters and attracting major technology conglomerates to invest in digital infrastructure, exemplified by Kakao's hyperscale data center. Notably, Ansan is an iconic and unique multicultural metropolis, recognized by the Council of Europe as an Intercultural City, with a diverse foreign resident population from over 100 nations shaping a dynamic and international living environment.
Former Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council Pham Duc Hai receives former Mayor of Ansan City Yoon Wha-sub.
- Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Web Portal
Over the past decade, outstanding cooperative achievements between the two localities have proven highly substantive across three core pillars. In trade, both sides have continuously organized major economic forums, deeply connecting supply chains between Ansan's SMEs and Ho Chi Minh City's export processing zones and industrial parks, particularly in the supporting industries. On the people-to-people diplomacy front, the Ansan municipal government has consistently implemented comprehensive social welfare, legal, and cultural support policies for the Vietnamese diaspora, workers, and international students residing in the city. Furthermore, through high-level delegation exchanges, Ansan has shared valuable practical experience in eco-industrial urban planning models, as well as social integration and management policies for multinational residents, supporting Ho Chi Minh City's sustainable urban development.
Looking toward the future, particularly within the framework of the 3rd Ho Chi Minh City Friendship Dialogue in 2026 (FD 2026), the City is widening its corridors to attract direct investment (FDI) and foster strategic alliances with partners from Ansan in five key sectors:
1. Supporting Industries and Precision Machinery: Welcoming leading Ansan enterprises to invest in next-generation electronic components and mechanical manufacturing to enhance localization rates in Ho Chi Minh City.
2. Technology Infrastructure and Data Centers: Attracting investment in digital infrastructure projects, hyperscale data centers, and the application of smart solutions in industrial park operations.
3. Educational Cooperation and Technology Transfer: Promoting academic partnerships and high-quality human resource training between Ho Chi Minh City's universities and prestigious research institutes and universities in Ansan (such as the Hanyang University ERICA ecosystem).
4. Urban Management and Intercultural Integration: Exchanging solutions in social welfare, residency management, and the creation of safe, harmonious, and highly integrated international urban environments.
5. Trade and Tourism Promotion: Enhancing multi-sectoral trade connectivity, expanding consumer goods distribution channels, and boosting two-way tourism promotion.