Hanoi (VNA) – A ceremony was held in Hanoi on August 13 to inaugurate the Vietnam – Korea cooperation centre for smart city and construction technology (VKC) by the Ministry of Construction and the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The VKC is to promote research and training on smart cities and advanced construction technology to contribute to smart urban development in Vietnam, and gradually formalise the country’s guidelines and policies in boosting smart and sustainable urban development to 2030.

Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Tuong Van emphasised that amidst international integration, Vietnam has been proactive in building sustainable smart urban development orientations. It has promoted building green cities, responding to climate change, and boosting the application of information technology to modernise the country. Vietnam has also taken on administrative reform towards building a digital Government and participating in the fourth industrial revolution.

The Prime Minister in August 2018 approved a project on sustainable smart city development in Vietnam. On November 11, 2022, the Government issued Resolution No 148 on an action plan to implement the Politburo’s Resolution 06 on planning, construction, management and sustainable urban development to 2045. It also underlines the need to develop smart urban architecture with promotion of identity, preservation of traditional cultural elements.

The Ministry of Construction of Vietnam and the RoK Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim of establishing a friendly, long-term cooperative relationship between the two countries in the field of urban development and housing. This includes social housing and smart city development on the basis of mutual respect and trust, Van said.

The two ministries have cooperated closely and gained positive results in exchanging experience in building legal policies on social housing, urban planning and smart urban development.

The Korean side shared experience with the Ministry of Construction in developing the Housing Law (amended), the Real Estate Business Law (amended), while supporting ODA projects in terms of technical assistance in urban planning, housing and urban development.

Van said he believes that with its experience, the Korean side can contribute well to the implementation of national strategies for sustainable smart urban development in Vietnam.

In the coming time, the Ministry of Construction proposed the RoK Embassy in Vietnam and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport continue to support the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction in exchanging information, laws, policies and experience in urban and housing development. This includes smart urban development, social housing, and enhancing the capacity of construction and urban managers in Vietnam.

A representative of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said the VKC is an example of successful cooperation between the two countries and two ministries. It will become a venue for technological cooperation on smart cities between the two countries in the near future.

♍ Addressing the event, Korean Ambassador to Vietnam Choi Young Sam emphasised that recently, the relationship between the two countries has been upgraded to a comprehensive partnership, especially in terms of smart urban cities. He highlighted the inauguration of the VKC as important to the strengthening of the bilateral relationship./.