Descentdant of King Ly Thai To appointed Vietnam Tourism Ambassador

(VNF) - The 31st descentdant of King Ly Thai To, Ly Xuong Can has been appointed Tourism Ambassador of Vietnam from 2017-2020.

Ly Xuong Can, Korean name Lee Chang Kun, was born in 1958 in Seoul, Korea, Mr. Ly Xuong Can and his family have been naturalized in Vietnam since 2010. Currently they are living and working in Vietnam.

The appointment of Mr. Ly Xuong Can to Tourism Ambassador will boost the promotion of Vietnam tourism to international friends in general and to Korean visitors in particular. Especially, the Korean market is one of the major tourist markets of Vietnam and the number of Korean tourists to Vietnam increases year by year.

Statistics show that, out of more than 10 million foreign tourists in 2016, South Korean tourists accounted for nearly 1.55 million, up 37.8%. The number of visitors from Korea to Vietnam ranks second in total number of foreign visitors, just behind China.

Earlier, in late September, Ly Xuong Can sent a petition to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) to run for the position of Vietnam Tourism Ambassador.

Over 800 years ago, to avoid blooshed by the Tran family, Prince Ly Long Tuong together with 6000 mandarins and servants fled to Korea. In 1232, an army of the Mongol Empire launched an attack on the country by both sea and land. Prince Ly Long Tuong had accomplished a great feat in defeating Mongolian hordes and was bestowed by Korean King as Hoa Son Quan – a high title in the Kingdom Court. Korean King also rewarded land to Ly’s Prince at Hoa Son region, since then the Ly Hoa Son family lineage was founded.

Mr. Ly Xuong Can offeres incense at the temple honoring the Kings of Ly dynasty

The Ly Hoa Son family is a famous family in Korea. Ly Xuong Can is the 31st descendant of King Ly Thai To, the 26th descendant of Prince Ly Long Tuong.

In 1994, Ly Xuong Son represented Ly Hoa Son to return to Vietnam and return to Dinh Bang, Tu Son, Bac Ninh to commemorate the eight Ly Kings.

In 2010, Ly Xuong Can was naturalized in Vietnam.

Mr. Ly Xuong Can and other enthusiastic people set up the Korea-Vietnam Cultural Exchange Association to promote the friendship and cooperation between the two countries and the Association of Prince Ly Long Tuong reminders to remind ancestors.

Since September 2014, Ly Xuong Can has been a Member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. Currently, he and his family are still living and working in Vietnam.

"I am always proud to be a son of Vietnam, to find my motherland and to contribute my best to the cause of development of the country, for their friendship and for the good friendship between Vietnam and Korea.’’

According to Mr. Ly Xuong Can, in order to maintain and attract more and more Korean visitors to Vietnam, he personally thinks that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism should have Tourism Ambassador of Vietnam in Korean. Tourism Ambassador not only has the capacity, ability and dedication to serve the development of tourism of the country but also understand the situation and tourism activities in Korea.

Ngoc Tran