South Korean digital healthcare companies signed export contracts and business cooperation agreements in Vietnam through a joint overseas expansion programme.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) said on Monday that participating companies in the "K-Health national medical AI service and industry ecosystem building project" delivered global commercialisation results in a local programme in Vietnam.

The programme was jointly 추진 by Daejeon, Daegu and Gwangju, which are implementing the K-Health project, for the first time. From June 22 to 26, it held hospital visits, business meetings and networking with industry officials in Vietnam to expand overseas market entry and local demonstration opportunities for participating companies.

Medical device company Kotras signed an $85,000 export contract with Vietgia Medical Equipment JSC, which has secured about 200 hospitals in Vietnam as customers. Kotras is also pursuing an additional $70,000 export contract in the Hanoi area.

Thomastone and KaiAI Company discussed business cooperation plans with the pediatric dentistry department at Ho Chi Minh City University Hospital and Hong Bang University. They also signed an MOU with local Bigs Dental Clinic. They are also pursuing additional cooperation with other dental medical institutions in Vietnam.

Participating companies also visited major local medical institutions, including Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Saigon ITO Phu Nhuan Hospital and Vinmec International Hospital.

The ministry and NIPA will also 추진 a global expansion support programme in Singapore in September. They plan to support participating companies' participation in the "Medical Fair Asia" exhibition and the operation of a local business programme.

Park Yoon-kyu (박윤규), head of NIPA, said the Vietnam programme showed synergy in overseas expansion support through cooperation among regions implementing the K-Health project. He said it would support strong digital healthcare companies so they can expand demonstrations and commercialisation by linking up with overseas medical institutions and secure global competitiveness.