Construction of Vietnam - Korea Science and Technology Institute in 2014

The Vietnam-Korea Institute of Science and Technology (V-KIST) will be built next year in Hoa Lac High-Tech Park in Hanoi with ODA funds, including US $ 35 million in non-refundable aid.

On the occasion of the visit of South Korean President Park Geun Hye to Vietnam, the two countries signed an agreement to establish the Vietnam-Korea Institute of Science and Technology (V-KIST) with non-refundable aid to support Vietnam trains high-quality human resources and enhances research capacity in the fields of science and technology to meet the needs of industrialization and modernization.

According to the Korea Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the country's experts completed the feasibility study phase of the project to establish V-KIST following the model of Korea's leading Research Institute (KIST). The two countries will discuss the necessary contents with the stakeholders to determine the detailed scope of project implementation and implementation in 2014. V-KIST is built with ODA funds in which aid is not completed. $ 35 million again.

V-KIST model at Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park.(Photo: KOICA)

Talking to PV in November 2012, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan said that Vietnam chose KIST but not other research institutes because of 4 reasons. Firstly, KIST is in the top 10 leading research institutes in the world, many Nobel laureates in technology often come to KIST to talk or lecture.

Secondly, Korea and Vietnam have many similarities. They built the KIST institute for more than 10 years after the Korean War, while still poor and faced with many difficulties. Thirdly, the model and operation mechanism of KIST is still Western style. Fourth, the Korean Government specifically supported this project and Korea could provide ODA to Vietnam.

Besides, Korea evaluated KIST Institute as the cradle of technology in this country. Research institute and most research topics are applied in Korea's leading industrial corporations. According to statistics, KIST's research contributes nearly 30% of the added value of industrial products of this country.

According to Minister Nguyen Quan, the construction of a research institute under the KIST model will be a pilot place to create the best working conditions for scientists, so that they feel not inferior to working abroad. In return, they will be more proud to create quality science products on their own homeland.

KIST (short for Korea Institute of Science and Technology) was founded in 1966 in Seoul, with the task of solving technical problems for production, directing Korea to a developing society based on of modern technologies. KIST is also one of the important factors contributing to the development of science and technology, industrialization in Korea in the years 70-80.

In 2012, during a visit to Korea, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung proposed that the Government support Vietnam to establish a model like KIST.