Nuclear power has remained a priority for Vietnam under its nuclear energy strategy, and officials have begun building momentum to achieve this end in meetings held with South Korean authorities.
Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan met with South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Kim Jung Kwan in Seoul on Wednesday in a bid to boost co-operation with international partners in high-tech fields, including nuclear power, artificial intelligence (AI), innovation and high-quality workforce training.
Vietnam aims to develop enough national capacity to operate nuclear facilities safely, eventually mastering the technology and ensuring sustainable development.
Co-operation is the way forward
Quan proposed sharing expertise with the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources especially from the nuclear sector, delving deep into institutional and policy frameworks, advanced nuclear power technology, domestic nuclear supply chain, and long-term workforce training.
On the other hand, Kim cited South Korea’s 40-year experience in nuclear power technology, which is being held up by three pillars: Engineering and technology capacity, comprehensive legal and management framework and safety, as per a report from the Vietnam News Agency.
South Korea is willing to co-operate with Vietnam in this area, particularly on important aspects of the Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power project, such as plant construction, operational experience, safety assurance, workforce training and supporting industries.
Kim also cited Seoul’s readiness to transfer technology to Vietnam in this regard, strengthening Vietnam’s momentum to build on its nuclear power.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: OpenAI pulls new AI model after it fails its own safety test
AI development at the forefront
Besides nuclear power, both sides discussed AI in manufacturing.
For Kim, it was important for the nation to focus on AI technology capacity, transformation, and the linking of technology and manufacturing sectors under a governance mechanism to ensure success.
He stressed the formation of the MX Alliance, which aims to drive AI adoption across industries through cooperation among the government, companies, AI firms and research institutes.
Quan and a delegation also attended the 12th Global ICT Leadership Forum, which brought together experts and relevant authorities from South Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan, Panama, Egypt and Uzbekistan to discuss practical co-operation in AI and digital transformation.
Vietnam highlights AI strategy
Under the National AI Strategy through 2030, with a vision to 2045, Vietnam will aim to interweave AI into the daily work of state agencies, businesses and citizens.
It seeks to have officials and civil servants use AI weekly.
On the other hand, 60 per cent of firms should be able to utilise AI to improve efficiency.
Nguyen Khac Lich, Director of the Authority of Information and Communications Industry under the Ministry of Science and Technology, underscored the importance of making AI sovereignty a key pillar.
To this end, Vietnam plans to build computing infrastructure, develop eight Vietnamese-language large language models, create at least five shared AI platforms and train 10,000 AI specialists.
Working with the international community has been deemed crucial to develop AI in public services, and ensure standards are being met for testing and governing AI.
READ NEXT: Sri Lanka warns global order fraying, urges humanity over destruction
Vivien Bernardino 
Angelica N. Hall 
Geoffrey H. Latayan