SANCHEONG, South Korea  -- Sancheong County in southeastern South Korea, which has gained fame as the hometown of Park Hang-seo, the popular South Korean head coach of Vietnam‘s national football team, will push to build a Vietnam-friendly village to attract more tourists from the Southeast Asian country, officials said Saturday.

The South Gyeongsang Province county, about 360 kilometers southeast of Seoul, said it has mapped out a basic plan this year to create a Vietnamese village in the Saengcho-myeon district, where Park was born.

Park, 60, has become a hero in both South Korea and Vietnam after achieving sensational successes as the head coach of national and under-23 men’s football teams in Vietnam since taking over in October 2017. His feats include a run to the semifinals at the 2018 Asian Games and the 2018 Suzuki Cup title. Park recently renewed his contracts in Vietnam.


During a visit to his hometown early this year, Park agreed to serve as an honorary ambassador for Sancheong County. (Yonhap)