Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’sMinistry of Science and Technology and the Korean International CooperationAgency (KOICA) on March 22 co-organised a ground-breaking ceremony for Vietnam-Republicof Korea (RoK) Institute of Science and Technology in Hanoi-based Hoa LacHigh-Tech Park.
RoK President Moon Jae-in, whois on a State visit to Vietnam from March 22-24, and Vietnamese Vice PresidentDang Thi Ngoc Thinh, along with representatives from a number of ministries,agencies and localities of both countries were present at the event.
Addressing the ceremony,President Moon described the event as a milestone of the RoK’s support forscientific and technological development in Vietnam, as well as close-knitrelations between the two countries in all sectors.
The enhancement ofcooperation to spur Vietnam’s economic development through science andtechnology is evidence of the RoK’s New Look South Policy towards prosperity ofboth sides, he stressed.
In her remarks, VicePresident Thinh noted with pleasure the breakthrough development of Vietnam-RoKcooperative ties over the past 25 years, especially after the two countriesestablished the strategic cooperative partnership in 2009.
Once operational, theinstitute is expected to play an important role in providing technologicalsolutions for businesses, and become a scientific and technological incubatorin service of the domestic industrial sectors as well as Vietnam’s sustainabledevelopment, she said.
Vietnamese Minster ofScience and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh said his ministry, which has been assignedto construct and manage the operation of the institute, hopes that the institutewill soon become a model for the Vietnam-RoK friendship.
To that end, the ministryhas devised an operation plan for the institute, he noted, adding that it will firstlyfocus on completing the institute’s infrastructure to serve research activities,building and operating the personnel training system.
Initial research activitieswill be carried out in 2018, aiming to address pressing technological demandsof a number of industrial sectors like IT and supply-demand technology, Anhsaid.
In the next five years,efforts will be made to build prestige, expand research activities and providein-depth technological products for businesses, meeting requirements offoreign-invested firms.
The institute will thenpenetrate into the global market and cooperate with the world’s leading businessesand partners, according to the minister.-VNA