South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT said on Tuesday it is strengthening cooperation in science and technology and digital fields and presenting a blueprint for future cooperation, taking the state visit to Vietnam by President Lee Jae-myung (이재명) as an opportunity.

The ministry signed a memorandum of understanding on digital cooperation with Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology. It covers sharing policies related to artificial intelligence, next-generation communications, an ICT equipment conformity assessment system and digital transformation. It also includes cooperation projects such as joint research and workforce training.

The foreign ministry is also working with the science ministry to further solidify a development partnership with Vietnam, South Korea's biggest development cooperation partner, so the two can share mutual benefits. The two ministries signed a Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Masterplan Framework with Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology, presenting a blueprint for science, technology and development cooperation between South Korea and Vietnam.

The framework is expected to contribute to building a cooperation system centered on a grant aid project to provide follow-up support for the Vietnam-Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST). The two countries plan to jointly announce the masterplan at a science, technology and innovation forum to be held at VKIST on April 24. They also plan to launch a working-level consultative body to identify concrete cooperation outcomes.

The foreign ministry is also expanding the foundation for win-win cooperation between South Korea and Vietnam through KOICA, the Korea International Cooperation Agency. It is providing grant aid that covers not only the follow-up support project but also science and technology, health, climate response and regional development. In particular, KOICA's industrial talent training project is expected to contribute to securing Vietnam's growth engines and providing skilled personnel to South Korean companies locally, alongside the signing of an MOU among KOICA, Hyundai Motor and Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training.

In addition, the government said a special training project to strengthen capabilities to respond to transnational crime and new types of crime will reinforce cooperation between South Korea and Vietnam to respond to cyber scams and other threats. It said the project would contribute not only to public security in Vietnam but also to the safety of South Korean nationals in the country in case of an emergency.