The forum, hosted by Lee and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on April 23 (local time) at a hotel in Hanoi, drew key officials from both governments, an economic delegation of 109 South Korean companies, and about 500 people from public institutions and the business community, organizers said.
Among those attending were Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong; SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, who also heads the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry; LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo; Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin; POSCO Holdings Chairman Chang In-hwa; HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Chung Ki-sun; GS Chairman Huh Tae-soo; Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-joon; Doosan Enerbility Chairman Park Ji-won; Daewoo E&C Vice Chairman Jung Won-ju; Hyundai Motor Group President Sung Kim; and Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon. Leaders of major business groups also attended, including Yoon Jin-sik of the Korea International Trade Association, Kim Ki-moon of the Korea Federation of SMEs, Sohn Kyung-shik of the Korea Employers Federation and CJ Group, and Choi Jin-sik of the Korea Federation of Middle Market Enterprises.
Before a pre-forum meeting, Lee Jae-yong told reporters that businesspeople “should speak through results.”
Koo said LG has business in India and hoped the trip would help it move forward. He added that Vietnam already has extensive exchanges with South Korea and active corporate investment, and said he hoped ties would advance “in quality as well as quantity.”
Park of Doosan Enerbility said Vietnam is looking to build nuclear power plants and that he came prepared to introduce his company. He said he planned to focus on its track record during the forum.
At the forum, Samsung Electronics, SK Innovation, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology and the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy discussed concrete steps to “advance industrial, investment and science-and-technology partnerships” in four areas: nurturing talent, energy, AI transformation and science and technology.
On talent development, Na Ki-hong, head of Samsung Vietnam’s strategic cooperation office, introduced cases involving manufacturing-innovation consulting and smart-factory support and outlined plans to expand “youth future-technology education” to foster next-generation talent.
Cooperation on AI transformation and energy infrastructure was also discussed. SK Innovation CEO Choo Hyung-wook stressed the importance of power infrastructure for building an AI ecosystem and shared a roadmap for ongoing cooperation projects, including the Quynh Lap LNG power project.
Science-and-technology cooperation also drew attention. KIST President Oh Sang-rok presented a vision linking talent, technology and industry and proposed a strategy combining South Korea’s maturity with Vietnam’s dynamism. Vietnamese presenter Nguyen Trung Chinh, chairman of CMC, also shared strategies for innovation in advanced industries based on AI and science and technology, and called for stronger technology partnerships.
In opening remarks at the pre-meeting, President Lee said economic cooperation between South Korea and Vietnam, “the best partners,” was more important than ever amid rising global uncertainty. He also called strengthening supply-chain links in energy-related areas, including rare earths and urea solution, a key task.
Lee said Vietnam needs high-efficiency power distribution networks, including LNG power plants and nuclear power, to support a stable industrial environment. He urged the business leaders gathered to serve as a cornerstone for opening new horizons of cooperation.
In a congratulatory address, Lee again emphasized the need for closer economic cooperation, laying out visions for future advanced industries, supply-chain and energy cooperation, and science-and-technology collaboration.
“With firm trust and friendship, South Korea and Vietnam can grow together and design the future without wavering in the face of any crisis,” Lee said. “Just as Vietnam’s leap forward was Korea’s growth, now Vietnam’s future will be Korea’s future.”
Citing a saying by Ho Chi Minh — “respond to all changes with what does not change” — Lee said the unchanging friendship built over more than 30 years is the surest answer to complex changes ahead. He pledged the South Korean government would be a “reliable compass and support” so companies in both countries can navigate challenges and write a new era of prosperity.
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry said 74 memorandums of understanding were signed at the forum between companies from the two countries in areas including advanced technology, consumer goods, infrastructure, energy and finance.
Key areas included AI data centers and digital infrastructure; energy such as nuclear power and power-grid construction; production bases for secondary batteries and advanced materials; smart cities and infrastructure development; and finance and investment.
SK Innovation and SK Telecom signed MOUs with Vietnam’s National Innovation Center on “AI data centers and ecosystem development,” and with Nghe An province on “AI infrastructure,” expanding cooperation on future infrastructure. Daewoo E&C also signed an MOU with Vietnam’s SaigonTel for joint development of data-center projects and participation in construction.
Cooperation on secondary batteries and advanced materials also advanced. POSCO Future M said it completed approval procedures with Thai Nguyen province to build a plant for artificial graphite anode material, a key secondary-battery material, and moved to build a supply chain for battery materials.
In energy, companies sought cooperation based on South Korea’s nuclear technology and power-grid expertise. Doosan Enerbility signed agreements with Vietnamese companies PTSC and PETROCONs on cooperation for new nuclear power plants in Vietnam. Taihan Cable & Solution signed an MOU with Vietnam’s Newtecons on power-grid upgrades and extra-high-voltage cable business cooperation, aiming to expand technology partnerships to strengthen local energy infrastructure.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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