Vietnam and South Korea promote cooperation in artificial intelligence development

On the morning of 4 March 2026, Standing Deputy Minister of Science and Technology (MST) Vu Hai Quan received and held a working session with Park Yunkyu, Chairperson of the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) of South Korea. The session focused on exchanging strategic directions for artificial intelligence (AI) development, sharing experiences in building AI ecosystems, and promoting specific cooperation programs between the two nations in the coming period.

Experiences in building AI ecosystems and investing in computing infrastructure

During the working session, NIPA Chairperson Park Yunkyu shared insights into South Korea’s AI development strategy in a context where AI is becoming a foundational technology shaping the future of the economy, industry, and national security.

According to Chairperson Park Yunkyu, South Korea’s AI ecosystem is designed based on four main pillars: AI infrastructure, AI models, AI semiconductors, and AI applications. In particular, the Government focuses heavily on investing in two foundational elements: computing infrastructure and the development of AI models.

One notable step is the South Korean Government's large-scale investment in computing infrastructure. In 2025 alone, the government purchased 13,000 NVIDIA GPUs to serve AI research and development.

These GPUs are allocated according to specific ratios: 50% for national projects, 30% for enterprises, and 20% for universities and research institutes.

In addition to infrastructure, South Korea is vigorously promoting the development of foundational AI models. The Government has selected alliances of enterprises and research institutes to compete in developing the national AI model.

These alliances are supported with GPUs, data, and human resources, and must undergo periodic evaluations every six months to select the most capable units.

This competitive approach is likened to a multi-round selection process, where alliances must continuously demonstrate technological capacity to continue receiving state support. The ultimate goal is to form foundational AI models that can broadly serve society.

Furthermore, South Korea is investing in the development of AI semiconductor companies to reduce dependence on foreign technology platforms.

Enterprises in this field are encouraged to develop energy-efficient AI processors optimized for data centers and edge devices.

According to NIPA Chairperson Park Yunkyu, the South Korean Government does not pursue a strategy of technological monopoly but aims toward international cooperation based on the principle of mutual benefit.

Vietnam is considered one of the important partners in South Korea’s AI cooperation programs.

Promoting cooperation in AI, semiconductors, and high-tech human resource training

Speaking at the session, Standing Deputy Minister Vu Hai Quan highly appreciated South Korea’s experiences in AI development, particularly the government's leading role in infrastructure investment and business support.

One of the vital lessons from South Korea is the political determination from the highest levels of leadership, which is a key factor in ensuring AI development policies are implemented rapidly and effectively.

Standing Deputy Minister Vu Hai Quan stated that Vietnam is currently placing science, technology, and innovation at the center of its national development strategy, with AI being one of the priority areas.

Ministry of Science and Technology has been entrusted with many important tasks related to AI development, including the formulation of AI regulations to create a legal framework that promotes research, development, and application.

According to Standing Deputy Minister Vu Hai Quan, Vietnam's Law on AI took effect on 1 March, 2026, with the aim of creating a legal foundation to encourage enterprises to research, master, and develop AI technology, while setting principles regarding risk management and ethics in technological development.

Parallel to this, MST is developing a national strategy on AI, including plans to develop high-performance computing infrastructure, data centers, and support programs for technology enterprises.

However, Standing Deputy Minister Vu Hai Quan noted that Vietnam currently lags behind some countries by about one to two years in implementing AI strategies. In the context of rapid technological evolution, this gap could create a significant difference in national technological capacity.

Therefore, learning from experience and strengthening international cooperation are seen as crucial factors in accelerating the development of the AI ecosystem in Vietnam.

During the session, many specific cooperation proposals were put forward, including plans to organize AI and semiconductor seminars in South Korea and Vietnam, and connecting technology enterprises from both countries to promote joint research and development activities.

One area of particular interest for both sides is the training of human resources for semiconductors and AI. Vietnam currently aims to train approximately 50,000 semiconductor engineers by 2030, with the participation of over 160 universities.

However, Vietnam still lacks practical environments - from laboratories to factories - to train a workforce of engineers with hands-on experience. Consequently, the Vietnamese side proposed strengthening internship and training programs at South Korean enterprises and research centers.

Additionally, units under MOST proposed cooperating with NIPA in building a model for alliances between enterprises and research institutes for AI development in Vietnam, similar to the consortium model currently deployed by South Korea.

A notable proposal involves sending South Korean experts to Vietnam for short-term consultations to build this model, thereby helping to form AI research and development alliances between enterprises and academic institutions.

Furthermore, the two sides discussed the possibility of sharing experiences in building data centers and computing infrastructure for AI, while promoting cooperation in high-tech human resource training.

Concluding the session, both sides agreed to continue strengthening professional exchanges, organizing seminars and cooperative training programs, and promoting specific projects to develop the AI ecosystem between Vietnam and South Korea./.

Copyright belongs to the Vietnam Journal of Science and Technology (VJST-MOST)