South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT said it held the 10th Korea-Vietnam Joint Committee on Science and Technology in Hanoi on Wednesday with Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology and discussed future directions for science and technology cooperation.

The two countries signed an inter-governmental agreement on science and technology cooperation in 1995 and have held the joint committee nine times alternately since 2002. This meeting is a follow-up measure to implement an agreement by the two countries' leaders last August to strengthen cooperation in advanced science and technology.

First Vice Minister of Science and ICT Hyeok-chae Koo (구혁채) and Vietnamese Vice Minister of Science and Technology Bu Hai Quan (부 하이 꽌) served as chief delegates. Delegations included about 20 participants such as government officials and people from research institutes from both countries.

At the meeting, the two sides shared their science and technology policies and the status of cooperation. They discussed directions for establishing a mid- to long-term comprehensive plan containing future cooperation directions and agreed on the future schedule. The two sides decided to build a package-style cooperation system to support the full R&D cycle, including joint R&D, talent development and exchanges, and technology commercialisation, based on pan-government collaboration, with the goal of joint prosperity through mutually beneficial R&D cooperation.

The ministry also held a meeting with Korean professors in science and engineering in Vietnam and experts from research and specialised institutions to discuss the status of science, technology and digital development as felt on the ground and directions for promoting cooperation between the two countries. It also plans to visit the Korea-Vietnam Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST), a hub for science and technology cooperation between the two countries.

Koo said the meeting would be a turning point for building a strategic partnership in technological innovation between the two countries by discussing future directions for science and technology cooperation together. He also said he would create a mutually beneficial model for science and technology cooperation by combining Vietnam's growth potential with South Korea's technological capabilities.