South Korean Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), Mr. Kim Yun-duk, has stated that MOLIT would continue to exert efforts to promote the partnership between the two nations, with a particular focus on transport infrastructure and urban development.
During the bilateral talks held on April 21 between Mr. Kim Yun-duk and Vietnamese Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh, the former proposed the establishment of a "Vietnam-South Korea Infrastructure and Technology Cooperation Board" to enhance information exchange and improve coordination efficiency between the two sides.
On the occasion, representatives from South Korean agencies and enterprises also shared their expertise and presented specific cooperation proposals regarding transport infrastructure, urban planning, and human resource training.
According to the Chairman of the International Contractors Association of Korea (ICAK), South Korea has operated a high-speed railway system since 2004. Initially utilizing foreign technology, the country has successfully mastered and developed its own proprietary technology across construction, operation, maintenance, and rolling stock manufacturing. Having exported high-speed trains to several countries, South Korea is now looking to expand its collaboration with Vietnam, specifically by proposing to supply trains for Metro Line No. 2 in Ho Chi Minh City.
“Vietnam is aiming for development and self-reliance in the railway sector. Therefore, South Korea wishes to promote in-depth cooperation, including human resource training and technology transfer. This will contribute to building a sustainable and autonomous foundation for Vietnam’s railway industry,” the Association representative stated.
He further proposed organizing the first "South Korea-Vietnam Railway Cooperation Conference" in June 2026, based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on railway cooperation signed between the two countries in 2025.
Beyond the railway sector, the South Korean delegation expressed a strong interest in expanding cooperation into road infrastructure, seaports, and aviation. This includes mobilizing financial resources, implementing ODA (Official Development Assistance) and PPP (Public-Private Partnership) project models, policy formulation, and specialized personnel training.
Urban development focus
The South Korean side also requested that the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction (MoC) create favorable conditions for South Korean enterprises to participate in urban development projects in Vietnam. Key areas of interest include smart city development, housing investment, and addressing urban challenges such as waste management, environmental protection, and energy efficiency. Furthermore, South Korea proposed strengthening construction capacity and refining policy frameworks.
Responding to these proposals, Minister Minh emphasized that these talks would not only consolidate past achievements but also create strong momentum to open new chapters in bilateral cooperation, particularly in transport and urban development.
Regarding the specific proposals from MOLIT, the minister affirmed that the MoC is ready to facilitate business operations. However, he stressed the importance of researching appropriate implementation methods to ensure practical effectiveness.
To materialize the agreed cooperation contents, Mr. Minh assigned subordinate units under the MoC to serve as focal points for coordination with South Korean counterparts. He directed them to focus on several key tasks: Establishing the Vietnam-South Korea Infrastructure and Technology Cooperation Board; Organizing the first Vietnam-South Korea Railway Cooperation Conference in June 2026; Promoting investment projects under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in transport and urban development; and Advancing initiatives related to the Vietnam-South Korea Smart City Cooperation Center.
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