CanTho (VNA) – A delegation of the Korea Overseas Infrastructure andUrban Development Corporation (KIND) of the Republic of Korea (RoK) had aworking session with officials of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on opportunitiesto invest in developing smart urban areas in the locality.

Duringa reception for the RoK delegation on October 12, Vice Chairwoman of the municipalPeople’s Committee Vo Thi Hong Anh said Can Tho is in need of developing such fields as management and operation of export processing zones and  industrial parks; climate change adaptation andenvironmental protection in urban areas; managing and developing urban areasand residential areas, and housings, and effectively using land; and intelligenttraffic; and using database, thus helping the municipal authorities build developmentsolutions for the city.

The city is calling for investment from units that are capable of joininginvestment in projects in the city, she said, adding that she hopes Koreaninvestors to engage in developing large shopping centres in Can Tho to serve investors from other countries.

Adirect air route has been opened between Can Tho and the Republic of Korea, shestressed, affirming that the municipal authorities will work closely with investors to solve related issues as quickly as possible so that the two sides willsuccessfully implement projects.

Teakwon Seo, Executive Vice President of KIND, said his agency wishes to invest in developing smart urbanareas in Can Tho.

As KIND is still working on specific options of investing in the Mekong Deltaregion, it is favourable to invest in Can Tho because it is the largestcity in the region and has relatively good infrastructure system, he said.

KIND, the agency under the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure andTransport, is working in promoting public-private partnership (PPP) projectsabroad, and capable of directly investing in projects as an investor throughthe acquisition of a portion of equity or as a direct lender. It currently manages investment funds with a total capital of up to 1.5 billion USD.

Theorganisation's investment and support areas include transport infrastructure,urban development, electricity, energy and petrochemical industries; waterresources and environmental infrastructure. In Vietnam, KIND is operating projectsin urban development with a total investment capital of 390 million USD./.