Reception of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)

01/02/2024

On 09/01/2024, in Hanoi, the delegation of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) led by Ms. Song EunEui, Deputy Country Director, KOICA Vietnam, visited and worked with Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST). Representing VAST at the event were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Tuan Anh, Vice President of VAST, together with representatives of VAST's affiliated units: International Cooperation Department, Institute of Information Technology; Institute of Materials Science; Institute of Natural Products Chemistry; Institute of Marine Biochemistry; Institute of Chemistry; Institute of Energy and Environment Science and Technology; Institute of Biotechnology; and Center for High-tech Research and Development.

Overview of the meeting

At the meeting, the two sides exchanged and discussed information on the commitment of the Korean Government through ODA projects in Vietnam in the field of science, technology and innovation after the official visit to Vietnam by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in 2023.

Ms. Song EunEui said that the goal of the ODA project is to support Vietnam to develop industrialization based on the 4.0 revolution, achieving the goal of becoming an upper middle-income country based on science technology and innovation cooperation between Vietnam and Korea; strengthen cooperation in science and technology and innovation in a number of fields such as nanotechnology, information and communication technology. KOICA is the focal point of the Korean Government to implement ODA projects in Vietnam. The objective of KOICA during this working trip to Vietnam is to exchange with Vietnamese science and technology partners to learn functions, tasks, and identify capacity and potential for cooperation, thereby making proposals for project implementation and reporting to the Korean Government. Ms. Song EunEui expressed hope that, after discussion, the two sides would find a common voice to develop cooperation opportunities.

Ms. Song EunEui - Deputy Country Director, KOICA Vietnam and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Tuan Anh – Vice President of VAST at the meeting

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Tuan Anh said VAST is the leading scientific and technological research and development agency in Vietnam, under the Government. In recent years, VAST has implemented many cooperation activities with foreign partners, including many units in Korea. In particular, VAST has a close relationship with the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), including coordinating the selection and funding of bilateral research projects. It can be said that in the field of science and technology, Korea has supported Vietnam to train high-quality human resources, approach the international environment, and coordinate in conducting research and transfer of technologies that are Korea's strengths. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Tuan Anh expressed his hope that through the meeting, KOICA and VAST will jointly find potential cooperation proposals in areas that are the strengths of Vietnam and Korea, thereby tightening the inherent good traditional cooperation relationship of the two countries, promoting the socio-economic development of the country.

Exchange of discussions during technical sessions

Based on opinions exchanged by leaders of the two sides, KOICA experts and some units under VAST evaluated the outstanding cooperation between VAST and Korean partners in recent years, and discussed and proposed specific directions to cooperate in building this new project. The two sides expressed their desire to continue accompanying and coordinating the implementation of commitments of the Korean Government, contributing to the effective implementation of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Korea in the future.

Taking group photo

Translated by Phuong Ha
Link to Vietnamese version

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