Minister of Information and Communications signs an agreement to boost ICT cooperation between South Korea and Viet Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo Vu Toan

In a meeting with South Korean Minister of Government Administrative and Home Affairs Chong Jong-sup, the two sides discussed the application of ICT (information and communications technology) in administrative reforms and electronic governance. Minister Son signed an electronic governance agreement with Minister Chong. Under the agreement, South Korea will share with Viet Nam its experiences in building infrastructures for e-governance and provide consultancy for constructing smart city models.

During a meeting with Minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning Choi Yang-hee on July 3, the two sides agreed that their cooperation in the ICT sector yielded substantial results.

Based on two memoranda of understanding signed at the ministerial level on cooperation in telecom, broadcasting, and computerization in 2009, Viet Nam and South Korea carried out several high-level talks, exchanged experiences, and supported joint efforts in building policies as well as human resources development.

The ministers agreed to enhance their cooperation to boost business investment, as well as encourage ICT companies in Viet Nam and South Korea to meet and look for business cooperation opportunities. At the meeting, they signed an agreement to continue boosting the comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and South Korea.

The two ministers also participated in the Korea-Vietnam ICT Partnership Program. At the event, Minister Son appreciated the cooperation of the ICT companies of the two countries in deepening the strategic, cooperative relationship between the two countries and contributing to the development of both nations.

He assessed the role of South Korea as the third largest commercial partner and the second largest investor in Viet Nam. He noted that in the first half of the year, South Korea had the highest total registered investment in Viet Nam, with a new and additional amount of US$1.52 billion, making up 27.7 per cent of the total FDI in Viet Nam.

Minister Son also said that the Vietnamese ICT sector was going through a strong development and integration process, and this was a golden opportunity for foreign firms to invest in Viet Nam and help the country become a strong ICT nation.

The two ministers witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group of Vietnam and two South Korean companies, namely LG CNS, a subsidiary of LG Corporation, and Bigstar Global Co. Ltd.

At the event, the representatives of Vietnamese provinces and enterprises met the delegates of South Korean firms to seek opportunities to expand their markets to South Korea and call for South Korean investments in Viet Nam.

Earlier, as part of his South Korean tour, Minister Son visited Samsung Corporation and Dongbu Insurance Co. Ltd. At Samsung Town in Seoul, the minister witnessed a cooperative agreement signing between MobiFone Telecommunications Corporation and Samsung Corporation for developing long-term evolution, a 4G wireless broadband technology. — VNS