From the Busan Vietnamese Consulate General’s Cooperation Request in May to the September Forum … Government–University–Industry Exchange Bears Fruit

Beyond Student Recruitment and Joint Research—Building a Virtuous Cycle of Korean Companies’ Expansion into Vietnam and Employment and Settlement of Vietnamese Talent in Korea

Future Industries and Sustainable Development on the Agenda, Including Semiconductors, AI, Quantum Technology, Green Growth, and Smart Agriculture

Gyeongsangbuk-do Governor LEE Cheol-woo and Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman PARK Yun-kyung Express Support for the Forum’s Development

[September 9, 2026]

<YU President CHOI Oe-chool delivers welcoming remarks at the Korea–Vietnam Knowledge Connect Forum (VKConnect-Daegu 2026)>

Yeungnam University (President CHOI Oe-chool) has created a new opportunity to expand its “Saemaul Studies-based educational diplomacy” beyond academic and people-to-people exchanges into industrial and economic cooperation between Korea and Vietnam.The Korea–Vietnam Knowledge Connect Forum (VKConnect-Daegu 2026), jointly hosted by YU and the Consulate General of Vietnam in Busan, is expected to serve as a starting point for a practical Korea–Vietnam cooperation model involving universities, the Vietnamese government, and industry.

Held on September 5 at YU’s College of Business Administration under the theme “Innovation in the Digital Era,” the forum brought together approximately 370 participants, including Doan Phuong Lan, Consul General of Vietnam in Busan, Vietnamese researchers and international students in Korea, experts, and other prominent figures from Korea and abroad. In particular, the forum attracted considerable attention even before the event, as PARK Yun-kyung, Chairman of the Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, whose participation was expected to help drive practical economic and industrial exchanges between the two countries, was announced as a special guest.

<YU and the Consulate General of Vietnam in Busan jointly host the Korea–Vietnam Knowledge Connect Forum (VKConnect-Daegu 2026)>

The forum took concrete shape following a visit to YU in May by Consul General Doan Phuong Lan and officials from the Vietnamese government.At the time, the Consulate General officially proposed practical areas of cooperation to YU President CHOI Oe-chool, including expanding academic and people-to-people exchanges with Vietnam, attracting Vietnamese international students, and jointly hosting an international forum. YU and the Consulate General of Vietnam in Busan subsequently worked closely together to develop the forum’s direction and operational plans, culminating in the Korea–Vietnam Knowledge Connect Forum.

The forum featured academic sessions, poster presentations, a forum, and roundtable discussions. The academic sessions, the core program of the forum, were held across eight sessions in four seminar rooms. YU faculty and researchers and their Vietnamese counterparts discussed a wide range of topics related to future industries and sustainable development, including semiconductors, AI, quantum technology, robotics, future mobility, green growth, and smart agriculture.

The session “Saemaul Undong, Governance, and Sustainable Development” featured Dr. Nguyen Hoai Thanh, Vice President of the Thai Nguyen School of Politics, along with LEE Jeong-ju, Director of the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul and a professor in the Department of International Development and Saemaul Studies at YU, and Professor YOON Sang-yong, who shared development experiences and models of community innovation from the two countries. The “AI and Quantum Technology” session, led by Professor JEONG Jae-hak, Dean of the College of Engineering at YU, and Dr. Nguyen Duy Linh, and the “Robotics and Future Mobility” session, with the participation of Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hai and others, explored research achievements and potential areas for cooperation in advanced technologies. At the accompanying poster session, approximately 50 Vietnamese researchers currently studying in Korea presented their research achievements and engaged in academic exchange.

YU and the Consulate General of Vietnam in Busan plan to develop the forum into an annual event and expand it into a government–university–industry cooperation platform involving major Korean companies and regional industries. The two institutions envision using the forum to support Korean companies’ entry into and expansion of their businesses in the Vietnamese market while also establishing a foundation for talented Vietnamese graduates who have developed their expertise at Korean universities to find employment and build stable careers at Korean companies. This is expected to provide Korean companies with opportunities to deepen their understanding of the Vietnamese market and expand their local networks, while offering young Vietnamese people pathways to study in Korea, secure quality employment, and build professional expertise. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the initiative could create a virtuous cycle in which universities, companies, governments, and relevant institutions in both countries organically connect education and employment with industrial and economic cooperation.

<Key guests and award recipients pose for a commemorative photo at the Korea–Vietnam Knowledge Connect Forum (VKConnect-Daegu 2026) held at YU>

The forum is significant not merely as a one-time international academic conference, but as an important step in expanding YU’s long-standing Saemaul Studies-based educational diplomacy into an economic cooperation model between the two countries.  Based on Saemaul Studies, which systematizes the Saemaul Undong as an academic discipline, YU has worked to promote sustainable development in developing countries and cultivate global talent, while steadily building a foundation for educational, research, and people-to-people exchanges with Vietnam.

YU has designated Vietnam as a key partner in its internationalization strategy and has actively promoted international student recruitment and academic exchange. An undergraduate admissions information session recently held for Vietnamese students enrolled in Korean-language training at YU drew approximately 300 participants, demonstrating strong interest. To date, 49 Vietnamese students have studied at the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul at YU. These figures demonstrate that YU’s educational programs based on Saemaul Studies and its internationalization capabilities are translating into tangible trust and demand in Vietnam.

Gyeongsangbuk-do Governor LEE Cheol-woo, in a congratulatory video message, said, “Korea and Vietnam have not only a strong economic partnership but are also very close in terms of people-to-people and cultural ties. In particular, Gyeongsangbuk-do has maintained a special friendship and cooperative relationship between the two countries by establishing Korea’s only K-Vietnam Valley (Vietnamese Cultural Complex) and sharing the Saemaul Spirit with Vietnam.” He added, “Through the metropolitan visa system, which Gyeongsangbuk-do was the first in the country to propose, we are helping talented Vietnamese people grow and settle in the region. Going forward, we will actively support companies in the province in creating new growth opportunities by partnering with excellent Vietnamese partners, while also helping Vietnamese international students grow into key talents who drive innovation at regional companies.”

PARK Yun-kyung, Chairman of the Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, “Vietnam is a very important partner market where companies in Daegu and Gyeongbuk can seek new avenues for growth. This forum will serve as a starting point for building practical connections between the regional business community and Vietnam, going beyond academic exchange.” He added, “I hope this forum will develop into a leading cooperation platform that supports local companies’ expansion into Vietnam as well as industrial and talent exchanges.”

 <Doan Phuong Lan, Consul General of Vietnam in Busan, delivers opening remarks at the Korea–Vietnam Knowledge Connect Forum (VKConnect-Daegu 2026)>

Doan Phuong Lan, Consul General of Vietnam in Busan, said, “Thanks to our close cooperation with YU, we were able to successfully prepare and hold a highly practical forum. YU’s educational and research capabilities and global network are valuable resources for expanding academic and economic exchanges between the two countries.”  She added, “We would like to continue exchanging and cooperating with universities in the Yeongnam region of Korea, including YU, and develop this forum into an event jointly created by the government, universities, and businesses.” She further expressed hope that the forum would become a regular event and develop into an exemplary cooperation model leading to the shared development of Korea and Vietnam.

YU President CHOI Oe-chool said, “Today’s event will serve as a practical foundation for economic exchange and shared prosperity between Korea and Vietnam, going beyond an academic conference jointly hosted by YU and the Consulate General of Vietnam in Busan.” He added, “Building on our experience in educational diplomacy accumulated through Saemaul Studies, YU will play an active role in connecting education, research, and university–industry cooperation between the two countries and in bringing government, universities, and industry together to create a sustainable cooperation model for future generations.” He continued, “I hope this forum will provide an opportunity for young people and experts in Korea and Vietnam to further broaden the scope of cooperation based on mutual trust and a spirit of warm solidarity. By pooling our wisdom to address common global challenges, including climate change, I hope we can work together to build a safer and happier world for the international community.”

Meanwhile, Vietnam is one of Korea’s key economic partners and one of its three largest trading partners, making it a country with strong demand for expansion by Korean companies and regional industries. Approximately 10,000 Korean companies are known to be operating in Vietnam, and Korea is one of Vietnam’s major sources of investment. According to reports by major media outlets, Daegu and Gyeongbuk’s exports to Vietnam in 2024 ranked Vietnam as the region’s third-largest export market, following China and the United States.

Demand among Vietnamese students for studying in Korea is also growing rapidly. The number of Vietnamese international students at higher education institutions in Korea has continued to increase each year. Immigration statistics encompassing various forms of residence and study indicate that the number of Vietnamese international students in Korea exceeded 100,000 as of the end of 2025, highlighting Vietnam’s emergence as a key international cooperation partner for Korean higher education institutions, local communities, and industries.