The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) held the Korea-Viet Nam Science and Technology Innovation Forum at the Vietnam-Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST) on Friday, April 24, during President Lee Jae Myung’s state visit to Viet Nam, in cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of Viet Nam. At the forum, the two sides unveiled their vision for future cooperation in science and technology. Building on this occasion, Korea and Viet Nam plan to further strengthen cooperation in key technology areas, including artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, secondary batteries, biotechnology, energy, and resources.
The forum was attended by approximately 150 government officials and representatives from industry, academia, and research institutions from both countries. The Korean participants included Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung Hoon, Senior Secretary to the President for AI and Future Planning Ha Jung Woo, President of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Jang Won Sam, President of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Oh Sang Rok, and President of the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) Park Yun Kyu. The Vietnamese participants included Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan, President of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) Bui The Duy, and Chairman of Xuan Cau Holdings To Dung, among others.
At the forum, MOFA and MSIT shared the Framework for the Master Plan on Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation, developed jointly with the Ministry of Science and Technology of Viet Nam, with representatives from industry, academia, and research institutions, and discussed ways to advance its implementation.
The Master Plan was developed as a follow-up measure to implement the agreement reached by the leaders of the two countries in August last year to expand cooperation in advanced science and technology. To this end, MSIT discussed the direction for developing the Master Plan with the Ministry of Science and Technology of Viet Nam at the 10th Korea-Viet Nam Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology on April 2, and discussed measures for its implementation at the 7th Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology on April 16. Reflecting the outcomes of these discussions, the Framework for the Master Plan on Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation, which incorporates the vision and key directions of the Master Plan, was signed at the ROK-Viet Nam summit on April 22.
While achieving the strategic objectives of grant aid for development cooperation through substantive follow-up support for VKIST, the Master Plan aims to establish a package-type cooperation system in which joint research, human resources development, dissemination of research outcomes, and infrastructure support are organically linked, based on inter-ministerial cooperation and reflecting the needs of industry and the research community.
To this end, the two sides will identify priority sectors for cooperation in consideration of Viet Nam’s national development strategies and the needs of industries and research communities in both countries, while nurturing next-generation science and technology human resources, ranging from highly qualified researchers at the master’s and doctoral levels to industry professionals. In addition, technology demonstration and transfer will be promoted by utilizing technology demonstration centers and regulatory sandboxes. Finally, the two sides plan to develop VKIST into a hub for science and technology cooperation in Viet Nam and expand the cooperation network nationwide by connecting it with major innovation hubs, including universities, research institutes, and industrial parks.
Following the presentation of the Master Plan, senior representatives from Korea and Viet Nam participated in a panel discussion on practical measures for its implementation and shared successful cases of technology cooperation between private-sector companies from the two countries.
Furthermore, on the occasion of the forum, a total of 10 MoUs were signed among companies, research institutes, and public institutions from Korea and Viet Nam to promote cooperation in key technologies, including AI, space, and quantum technology.
In the field of quantum technology, four MoUs were signed to promote cooperation in technology and human resources development: ① (ROK) Quandela Korea and (VN) Viettel; ② (ROK) Quandela, (VN) Quanova, and (VN) QUT; ③ ( ROK) Korea Advanced Nano Fab Center and (VN) Viettel; and ④ (ROK) Norma and (VN) the Institute for Aerospace and Quantum Communication. In the field of space, cooperation will be pursued to facilitate information exchange and joint research: ⑤ (ROK) Metaspace and SPACEBEAM, and (VN) the Institute for Aerospace and Quantum Communication, and between ⑥ (ROK) the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) and Gia Lai Province. In the field of AI, NIPA signed separate MoUs with ⑦ (VN) the Authority of ICT Industry, ⑧ (VN) the National Innovation Center (NIC), and ⑨ (VN) the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT) to share best practices and develop human resources in AI. In the field of physics, ⑩ (ROK) the Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics (APCTP) and (VN) the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE) also concluded an MoU to expand cooperation. Through these MoUs, the two sides plan to achieve substantive outcomes of cooperation in the relevant fields.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung Hoon emphasized the need for Korea and Viet Nam to build a strategic partnership in science and technology that enables both countries to grow together, underpinned by their strong diplomatic and economic ties based on trust. He added, “By pursuing mutually complementary cooperation that combines Korea’s advanced technological capabilities with Viet Nam’s growth potential, we will work to create global innovation that will enable our two countries to jointly lead the future.”