Located in Bonghwa County, the Hwasan Yi Clan Village is home to descendants of the Yi family, whose lineage traces back to the royal Lý Dynasty of Vietnam. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
BONGHWA, Aug. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — A unique cultural exchange between South Korea and Vietnam will take place this weekend in Bonghwa County, North Gyeongsang Province, highlighting centuries-old historical ties and a growing multicultural presence.
The event, scheduled for August 24 at Chung Hyo Dang in Changpyeong-ri, will bring together some 800 participants, including Vietnamese Vice Minister of Culture Ho An Phong, Vietnamese Ambassador to Korea Vu Ho, lawmaker Lim Jong-deuk, and Bonghwa County Governor Park Hyun-guk.
The program will feature a beam-raising ceremony for a multicultural community center, a “Vietnam Day” celebration, and the unveiling of a statue of Lý Thái Tổ, founder of Vietnam’s Lý dynasty and an ancestor of Bonghwa’s Hwasan Yi clan — descendants of Vietnamese royalty who settled on the Korean peninsula centuries ago.
Historic Roots, Modern Ties
The Hwasan Yi clan traces its lineage to Lý Long Tường, the sixth-generation descendant of Emperor Lý Thái Tổ, who fled Vietnam during dynastic turmoil and was granted the surname Yi and the territorial designation “Hwasan” by Korea’s Goryeo court.
The clan thrived in Bonghwa for generations, with notable figures such as Yi Jang-bal, who died in battle against Japanese forces during the Imjin War in the 16th century.
Chung Hyo Dang, where the event will be held, was built to honor his loyalty and filial piety. Today, only seven households of the clan remain in the area, though the site is regarded as the only place in Korea preserving traces of Vietnam’s Lý dynasty lineage.
On-site in Bongseong-myeon, Bonghwa County, a television crew from Hanoi, Vietnam is reporting on Chung Hyo Dang, a heritage site associated with the Vietnamese Lý Dynasty. (Image courtesy of Bonghwa County)
Building the K-Vietnam Valley
Bonghwa County plans to invest nearly 2 trillion won ($1.5 billion) through 2033 to develop the surrounding area into a “K-Vietnam Valley.” The project will include a Korea-Vietnam history and culture center, a multicultural international school, and facilities designed to serve as a hub for bilateral exchange.
The multicultural community center, now under construction and set for completion in September, combines Korean and Vietnamese architectural features and will serve as a gathering place for residents of diverse backgrounds, including the roughly 100 Vietnamese nationals currently living in the county.
Several local Vietnamese residents are already playing key roles in promoting the project. Do Oc Luyen, a 47-year-old scholar who studied Korean language and literature, recently moved to Bonghwa and has been appointed a local ambassador, while Sun Yena, a naturalized Korean of Vietnamese origin, is working closely with the Hwasan Yi clan on the valley’s development.
“This is the only place in Korea where the heritage of Vietnam’s Lý dynasty descendants remains,” a Bonghwa official said. “We hope the K-Vietnam Valley will become a cornerstone for even deeper ties between our two nations.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
