S.Korea Funds $3.5M for Central Vietnam Mater Plan

South Korea has funded $3.5 million to help Vietnam’s central province of Thua Thien-Hue better the master planning of Hue city, one of the world’s heritage sites. Under a project costing $3.75 million, the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) will help Hue People’s Committee improve capacity in urban planning and development, state media reported.  The project which will last until July 2013 will focus on reviewing the city’s current planning, accessing the expansion area, and adjusting its master planning by 2030, with a vision for further development till 2050 in a bid to boost socio-economic development, the Thoi Bao Kinh Te reported. During the project, South Korea will train manpower for Hue city and supply equipment under a cooperation deal, the paper said. The move is part of S.Korea’s support in urban planning and development in Vietnam. Earlier this month, the French Development Agency (AFD) funded $26.7 million for developing an infrastructure project for socio-economic development in the central city of Danang and the southern city of Can Tho. In Oct, AFD funded $11 million to help Sa Pa, one among the world’s top ten destinations for walking by the largest travel guide book Lonely Planet, triple its area by 2013. (Thoi Bao Kinh Te Viet Nam – Economic Times Dec 28 p3, Vietnamplus Dec 27)