Promoting science and technology cooperation with RoK
Cooperation in science, technology and innovation with the Republic of Korea has helped Hai Phong businesses gradually access and master advanced technologies, creating new momentum for development in the next phase.
Strengthening partnerships, embracing technology waves
Hai Phong considers the Republic of Korea (RoK) one of its most important partners and one of the city’s largest foreign direct investment (FDI) sources, with numerous projects in manufacturing, processing and high-tech industries.
A clear example is LG Innotek, a subsidiary of the RoK’s LG Group, which has decided to invest USD 1 billion in a semiconductor substrate and packaging manufacturing plant. The project is the first to enter the Hai Phong Free Trade Zone. Beyond its scale, the project reflects the confidence of global technology corporations in Hai Phong’s investment environment.
Alongside expanding investment cooperation, Hai Phong is strengthening partnerships with the RoK’s leading research and innovation organizations. Notably, in November 2025, the City People’s Committee and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) signed a memorandum of understanding, opening new opportunities in science and technology.
KIST is one of Asia’s leading research institutes, developing core technologies that have contributed to the RoK’s rise as a modern industrial nation. Cooperation with KIST enables Hai Phong to access advanced knowledge and technologies while laying the foundation for its long-term development strategy.
According to Dr. Kim Joosun, President of KIST Gangneung Institute of Natural Products, business-to-business (B2B) connections not only help Vietnamese companies access new technologies and markets but also allow RoK businesses to better understand the needs of the Vietnamese market and identify suitable partners, particularly in Hai Phong.
From the business perspective, these networking activities create opportunities to adopt technologies suited to production. Tran Van Trung, General Director of Kien Quoc Agriculture JSC in Hai Phong, said his company is developing more than 200 hectares of rice cultivation and has recently obtained USDA organic certification. By participating in a business matching session at Techfest HaiPhong 2026, the company aims to find advanced Korean technologies for high-tech agricultural development.
Toward high-tech ecosystem partnerships
According to Le Luong Thinh, Deputy Director of the Hai Phong Department of Science and Technology, the city’s ambition to become a science and technology hub of the Northern Key Economic Region makes international cooperation one of the key solutions for enhancing research, application and technology transfer. In particular, access to advanced Korean technologies, especially in semiconductors, artificial intelligence and green technology, is a requirement that needs to be strengthened.
In early February 2026, the Department of Science and Technology worked with a delegation of Korean experts on science and technology investment strategies in Hai Phong. Oh Soo Yeon, Chairman of the Board of Directors of HB Advisors, said the company is completing investment procedures for an R&D center specializing in medical and hospital technology.
The center is expected to support Hai Phong in training high-quality science and technology professionals, introducing modern research management models, technology assessment methods and operational experience for internationally standardized research and development centers. Once operating stably, the center will be transferred to the city for continued management.
A highlight of Hai Phong’s investment promotion mission to the RoK in June, led by Do Thanh Trung, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of the City People’s Committee, was a series of meetings with the RoK’s leading technology companies.
During the meetings, Trung called on Korean enterprises and corporations to continue exploring and expanding investment while strengthening cooperation in high technology, renewable energy and innovation. The city reaffirmed its commitment to supporting businesses and creating favorable conditions for effective project implementation in Hai Phong in accordance with regulations.
Deepening cooperation with the RoK in science, technology and innovation will provide Hai Phong with stronger capacity for research, application and technology transfer, supporting its goal of becoming a leading science and technology center for the region and the nation.
HONG ANH