South Korea’s Conglomerate Plans to Invest Hundreds of Millions in Vietnam’s First Net-Zero Industrial Park in the Southern Region, Located in a Centrally Governed City

On the afternoon of September 30th, Can Tho City held a meeting with SEP Cooperative Group (South Korea), facilitated by the Vietnam-Asia Net Zero Science and Cooperation Center (VANZA). Representatives from the Departments of Industry and Trade, Agriculture and Rural Development, Natural Resources and Environment, and the Management Board of Export Processing Zones and Industrial Parks attended the event.

The meeting aimed to explore investment opportunities for two large-scale projects: a bio-oil plant using agricultural by-products and a fruit juice export factory.

Mr. Hyun Dong Hoon, Chairman of SEP Cooperative, highlighted Can Tho’s unique advantage in agricultural produce and by-products. The company aims to transform straw, fruit peels, sugarcane residue, and corn stalks—often wasted—into high-value renewable energy sources.

Initially, the bio-oil plant will require 30 hectares of land, expanding later into a 300-hectare Net Zero Industrial Complex—the first of its kind in Southern Vietnam. This project is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions and enhance resource efficiency by up to 90%.

Simultaneously, the concentrated fruit juice factory, with a capacity of 300,000–500,000 liters/day, will process local fruits like pineapple, mango, passion fruit, orange, grapefruit, and dragon fruit. The facility will meet GlobalGAP, HACCP, and ISO22000 standards for export to South Korea, the EU, the US, and Japan.

The initial investment is estimated at $120–180 million, potentially increasing to $150–220 million in later phases. Once operational, the factories are projected to create 600–900 direct jobs and 1,000–2,500 indirect jobs in the supply chain.

During the meeting, Can Tho City leaders praised the projects as aligning with the city’s green industrial development strategy. Ms. Nguyen Thi Lieu, Deputy Head of the Export Processing Zones and Industrial Parks Management Board, suggested Tran De Industrial Park (with 100 hectares of available land) and Song Hau Industrial Park (near a river port, ideal for transportation) as suitable locations.

Local agricultural authorities confirmed the abundant supply of raw materials, with 700,000 hectares of rice fields and 80% of annual straw surplus after serving livestock and mushroom cultivation. Utilizing this straw will not only reduce pollution from field burning but also provide additional income for farmers.

Beyond the two flagship projects, SEP Cooperative expressed interest in Can Tho’s wind energy sector, which currently seeks investment for 1,500MW of capacity.