ĐÀ NẴNG – Vietnamese and Republic of Korean partners and businesses have signed a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on research, workforce training and development plans for artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors and AI ecology systems, marking several steps forward in the semiconductor industries of Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea.

The Đà Nẵng-based Semiconductor and Artificial Intelligence Centre for Research and Training (DSAC) and the Centre for Science and Technology Strategy and Policy Consulting of Việt Nam signed a deal with the Korea AI Blockchain Science Technology Association and TechnoBridge Company to build an AI ecological system in Đà Nẵng as the central city looks to become a global semiconductor and AI hub.

The two Vietnamese partners also signed MoUs on semiconductor industries with the Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology under the Tech University of Korea, Stella Avenue Investment company and TechnoBridge company.

DSAC said these MoUs have seen significant results in recent cooperation between Republic of Korean partners and Đà Nẵng in turning agreements into action plans.

Representatives of the Korea Advanced Institute for Technology Evaluation and Winwoo Partners company also plan to expand their investment in Đà Nẵng in the near future.

Đà Nẵng municipal authorities have paid working visits to SK Group and Samsung Electronics in discussions on cooperation and investment in high-tech industries, digital transformation, AI and semiconductors.

The central city has also made friendship and cooperation deals with nine localities in the Republic of Korea: Changwon, Daegu, Osan, Yongin, Seoul, Gwangyang, Jeju, Pyeongtaek and Hamyang.

Last month, the Daegu Technology Demonstration and Innovation Space was launched in the city, offering a place for innovation and international technology for both Vietnamese and Korean businesses.

Previously, both Đà Nẵng and Daegu agreed to boost medical tourism through the ‘Medic City Daegu’ platform, as well as AI-based transformation and high-tech industries.

The beach city’s Đông Á University, in cooperation with the Korean language centre in HCM City, introduced the first ever free four-month Korean language course for all residents living in Đà Nẵng.

Meanwhile, the South Korea Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies also set up the Korean Foundation Global E-school at Đông Á University's main campus.

In 2023, the Việt Nam Innovation Network in Korea also debuted the Đà Nẵng-Seoul Start-up Innovation Centre and the Việt Nam-Korea AI Hub in Đà Nẵng.

Đà Nẵng's Hospital 199 and Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital are working to develop a global AI healthcare system to provide services in central Việt Nam.

Samsung has established the Samsung Innovation Campus at Đà Nẵng's Duy Tân Private University, and supported two local businesses – Trung Nam Group and Tân Long Paper and Package Company – in building the first smart factories in the city.

LG Electronics has also set up an R&D centre – its second in Việt Nam – in Đà Nẵng.

The Việt Nam-Korea Friendship Information Technology University began training the first 500 semiconductor and chip design engineers in central Việt Nam in 2024.

Đà Nẵng has hosted 314 projects from the Republic of Korea with a total investment of US$1.66 billion, making the RoK one of the top four among leading investors from 45 countries and territories in the city. VNS