The ninth meeting of the Vietnam-South Korea Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation was held in Seoul on October 24, co-chaired by Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat and South Korean Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho.
This meeting was a part of the efforts to realize the comprehensive strategic partnership established between the two countries during the visit of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to Vietnam in June.
Minister Lee highlighted the increasing impact of science and technology on various aspects of life and socio-economic activities. By promoting policy coordination and cooperation in new areas, both nations can leverage each other’s strengths to tackle common challenges. He emphasized the significant results of joint research between the two countries and positive human resource exchanges in various cooperation projects, expressing hope that science and technology collaboration would continue to strengthen through the Joint Committee mechanism.
Minister Dat stressed the considerable potential for cooperation in the field of science and technology between Vietnam and South Korea. He emphasized that the signing of the meeting’s minutes reflects the commitment of both countries to implementing cooperation initiatives within the mechanism, providing a foundation for the development of their comprehensive partnership in the future.
The meeting aimed to share major policies in science and technology of both nations, discussing measures to expand bilateral collaboration into new areas. South Korea introduced its 5th Basic Science and Technology Plan for the 2023-2027 period, while Vietnam presented its science and technology renovation policy, enhancing mutual understanding of their respective science and technology policies.
During the meeting, South Korea pledged to share its artificial intelligence (AI) database with Vietnam, strengthen cooperation in AI, digital transformation, core technology, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and provide capacity improvement training. The two nations will collaborate to connect their startup ecosystems and support the construction of South Korea’s research and development centers in Vietnam.
The Vietnam-South Korea Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation meets annually, following a bilateral science and technology cooperation agreement signed in April 1995. In previous meetings, the committee discussed various forms of cooperation in the field of science and technology. Both countries agreed to hold the 10th meeting of the committee in Vietnam.
