SEOUL — The fourth Vietnamese community sports festival kicked off in Daejeon, a central city in the Republic of Korea (RoK), marking the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day (September 2).

The event, hosted by the General Association of Vietnamese People (GAVP) in the RoK under the auspices of the Vietnamese Embassy, blended football, traditional cuisine, and cultural exchanges.

In his opening address, GAVP Chairman  Đào Tuấn Hùng said cultural and sporting events, especially the community sports festival, not only foster solidarity among Vietnamese expatriates but also enhance people-to-people exchanges and friendship with the RoK. He pledged to create more platforms to enrich the cultural and spiritual lives of Vietnamese residents living there.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Vũ Hồ thanked Daejeon’s leaders for their steadfast support of the Vietnamese community and for facilitating such impactful events.

Yu Deuk Won, Daejeon’s Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs, voiced hope that the festival would deepen ties between the two nations. He pitched Daejeon as the RoK’s “science capital,” spotlighting its push to lead in advanced industries like aerospace, healthcare, semiconductors, national defence, quantum technology, and robotics.

The festival featured 18 men’s football teams representing Vietnamese communities from across the RoK, complemented by lively track and field, arm wrestling, and tug-of-war competitions that energised younger participants.

Cultural stalls dishing out traditional Vietnamese dishes, paired with lucky draw games, kept the crowd buzzing. — VNA/VNS