If you want to understand who Da Nang thinks its future customers are, look at its September calendar. Nearly every item involved Korea or Japan.
Seoul: chips, AI and a pitch
On September 19, People's Committee Chairman Nguyen Manh Hung joined a Seoul seminar titled "Da Nang–Korea Future Cooperation 2026," VietnamPlus reported. He called Korea a top strategic partner and named the priorities: AI, semiconductor manufacturing, green energy, smart cities, education and training. To Korean AI and chip startups, the city promised tax incentives, help with site rental costs and direct help with paperwork.
Vietnam's ambassador to Korea, Vu Ho, said ties should go "from breadth to depth," with science and technology at the core. Son Ha Eun, chair of the Korea AI & Blockchain Science and Technology Association, proposed helping Da Nang become a regional AI hub.
VNA reported that two memoranda of understanding were signed, on semiconductor development and on the AI ecosystem, without naming signatories or amounts. The city's science department told VNA 5G coverage has reached 98% of Da Nang.
Home: gifts for Chuseok
Korea is also Da Nang's biggest tourism customer. More than 1.2 million Korean visitors came in the first seven months of 2026, 20.2% of international arrivals, on about 140 flights a week, according to a VNA report. For Chuseok, Korea's harvest holiday, the city ran an "I Love Da Nang" campaign from September 21 to 27 with more than 5,000 gifts and vouchers for hotels, dining, spas and golf.
Visitors claimed them by showing air tickets or passports at tourism support points. Sun World Ba Na Hills knocked 50,000 dong off cable car tickets. VNA also counts 312 Korean FDI projects in Da Nang worth about $1.56 billion.
Japan: materials and money
On September 14, the city's innovation startup support center signed an MoU with Universal Materials Incubator Co., a Japanese venture capital firm, on new and recycled materials and sustainable building materials, VNA reported. No amounts were disclosed. Japan has 301 projects in Da Nang worth $1.22 billion, 69 of them high-tech, employing about 50,000 people, according to the same report.
What to watch
The reports do not say what the two Seoul memoranda commit either side to, and no amounts were disclosed for the Japanese deal. Watch for named companies and projects that follow.
Sources
- Da Nang seeks stronger technology, innovation ties with RoK
- Da Nang boosts appeal to international visitors with promotional offers
- Da Nang, Japanese partner sign deal on materials development
This story was compiled by the Da Nang Voice news desk from the published sources listed above. Facts, figures and quotes are attributed to those sources; Da Nang Voice did not conduct interviews for it unless the text says so. Corrections are dated and noted at the top of the story. Read our corrections policy. Spotted an error? Tell us.
