Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh and the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yun-duk held talks on April 21 in Hanoi.
At the meeting, Minister Kim Yun-duk highly appreciated Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements in recent years, especially in the fields of infrastructure and urban development. He also emphasized that Vietnam is one of South Korea’s important partners in the region, and that the Korean government always values and wishes to continue expanding and deepening cooperation with Vietnam in areas of mutual strength.
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Minister Tran Hong Minh delivered a speech at the meeting.
The Korean side proposed the establishment of a "Vietnam-South Korea Infrastructure and Technology Cooperation Board" to enhance information exchange and improve coordination efficiency between the two sides; the implementation of cooperative programs in areas including urban development, industrial parks, transport infrastructure, and ODA-funded projects; promoting smart city cooperation programs through the Vietnam–Korea Smart City Cooperation Center; and studying the development of a comprehensive smart city master plan under the K-City Network global cooperation program.
In the transport sector, Minister Kim Yun-duk expressed his interest in Vietnam’s large-scale infrastructure projects, particularly the North–South high-speed railway project. He also proposed strengthening cooperation in the railway sector, including organizing the first Vietnam–Korea Railway Cooperation Conference, expected to take place in June 2026. In addition, the South Korean side proposed promoting cooperation in human resource training through a master’s program on capacity building for infrastructure development policy.
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Minister Kim Yun-duk delivered a speech at the meeting.
To further strengthen and promote Vietnam–South Korea cooperation in the construction sector, Minister Kim Yun-duk cordially invited Minister Tran Hong Minh to attend several major international events hosted by South Korea in 2026, including the World Smart City Expo (WSCE) in Busan and the Global Infrastructure Cooperation Conference (GICC) in Seoul in September 2026, as well as the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress (ITS) in Gangneung in October 2026.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister Minh highly appreciated the cooperation proposals from the South Korean side, and affirmed that Vietnam always values and seeks to enhance cooperation with South Korea in construction and infrastructure development, especially as Vietnam is accelerating the development of a synchronized and modern infrastructure system, with a strong need to mobilize resources and absorb international technology and experience.
Overview of the meeting.
Minh further added, the Ministry of Construction is ready to closely coordinate with MOLIT in priority areas such as sustainable urban development, smart cities, transport infrastructure, and high-speed railways.
Regarding the specific proposals from the South Korean side, Minh assigned the relevant units under the Ministry of Construction to coordinate with agencies to study and discuss in detail, ensuring alignment with Vietnam’s planning, development orientations, and legal regulations.
The minister also welcomed South Korean enterprises to continue exploring and participating in investment in infrastructure and urban development projects in Vietnam on the basis of efficiency, sustainability, and mutual benefit.
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Minister Tran Hong Minh, Minister Kim Yun-duk, and the delegates took a photo at the meeting.
Regarding the invitation to attend major international events hosted by South Korea in 2026, Minh expressed his sincere thanks and appreciated MOLIT’s proactive and active role in promoting international cooperation in infrastructure and urban development. He also stated that Vietnam would consider arranging participation or sending an appropriate delegation, thereby contributing to strengthening exchanges, connectivity, and cooperation between the two sides.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Minister Tran Hong Minh and Minister Kim Yun-duk agreed to continue strengthening exchange and close coordination in implement the agreed areas of cooperation, thereby contributing to the substantive and effective development of the Vietnam–South Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, in line with each country’s development needs in the new period.