Expansion of Vietnam's Tech Sector in South Korea Underway
Vietnam Innovation Network Spearheads Nation's Transformation
Party General Secretary To Lam has called for a boost in investment in science, technology, and innovation, following a meeting with the Vietnam Innovation Network (VINK) in Seoul.
At the meeting, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang highlighted the importance of this year as a crucial point in Vietnam's efforts to become a modern industrialized country with upper-middle income by 2030, aiming to reach high-income status by 2045. He emphasized the role of overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and experts in areas like innovation and high technology in achieving these goals.
VINK, with over 2,000 members worldwide, acts as a pivotal platform for introducing innovative solutions and facilitating the transfer of international technological advances to Vietnam. The network, which operates with the National Innovation Centre’s sponsorship, aligns with Party and State policies to attract talent, promote science and technology innovation, and advance digital transformation in Vietnam.
Through initiatives like the National Startup Incubator program, VINK members provide comprehensive support to tech startups, including those in AI, fintech, green tech, and blockchain, thus fostering a structured ecosystem for tech ventures and boosting the startup success rate.
VINK is also involved in key events such as the Better Choice Awards 2025 and Vietnam Innovation Day, which showcase breakthroughs and facilitate collaboration in AI, semiconductors, quantum technologies, digital finance, and education, strengthening Vietnam’s innovation ecosystem.
The network's focus on strategic technology development includes identifying and developing priority technologies such as autonomous mobile robots, blockchain-based platforms, large language models, and UAVs. Through forums like the Vietnam R&D Forum 2025, organized in part by associations linked to VINK members, there is a concerted push to create long-term R&D cooperation mechanisms, accelerate technology transfer, and embed innovation into Vietnam’s economic structure.
Notable efforts by VINK include the development of key laws, national strategies for the development of the semiconductor industry, proposals for an AI research and training centre, an international financial centre, and incubation programmes for innovative Vietnamese startups in South Korea.
At a conference on digital twins for Vietnam's semiconductor workforce, industry experts declared Vietnamese workers to be the country's greatest advantage, which will be supported further by digital twin technology.
The Party General Secretary To Lam encouraged VINK to proactively lead innovation initiatives, promote the transfer of knowledge and experience, and bring global excellence back to Vietnam. The Vietnam Innovation Network, along with Vietnamese experts and entrepreneurs in South Korea, has made numerous valuable contributions to major national initiatives.
Google and the National Innovation Centre announced an expansion of the "Build for the AI Future" initiative to bolster Vietnam's startup ecosystem. The Vietnam Innovation Network, in its role as a vital bridge between domestic and international innovation ecosystems, is asked to continue to coordinate with other ministries and departments to connect, transfer knowledge, and concretise initiatives into specific, high-value-added solutions.
In conclusion, VINK’s role is integral to accelerating Vietnam’s transition towards a knowledge-driven, innovation-led economy by mobilizing overseas Vietnamese expertise and integrating global technological advancements within national industrial and digital transformation strategies.
- The Vietnam Innovation Network (VINK), with its focus on high technology and innovation, plays a vital role in business ventures, such as AI, fintech, green tech, and blockchain, boosting the startup success rate in Vietnam.
- Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang emphasized the importance of technology, including AI, semiconductors, quantum technologies, digital finance, and education, in achieving Vietnam's goal of becoming a modern industrialized country with a high-income status by 2045.
