VIAC and VCCI welcomed Korean delegation exploring cooperation opportunities in Vietnam

On the morning of October 29, 2026, the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC), in coordination with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Ho Chi Minh City Branch (VCCI - HCM), welcomed a delegation from Jeju, South Korea, on an official working visit to Vietnam. The meeting served as a forum for the parties to exchange key market insights, evaluate the local business environment, foster institutional and business linkages, and discuss potential cooperation across trade, investment, education and training, as well as research and development.

The South Korean delegation was led by Mr. Kwon Youngjin – Director of Jeju Industry-University Convergence Institute, accompanied by Prof. Park Daehwan – Representative of Jeju National University, along with more than 20 delegates representing South Korean universities, institutions, and enterprises. The delegation was cordially welcomed by leaders and key representatives from VIAC and VCCI-HCM, including Mr. Chau Viet Bac - Deputy Director of VIAC Ho Chi Minh City Branch; Ms. Bui Thi Yen Trinh - Ho Chi Minh City Promotion and Business Development Manager of VIAC Ho Chi Minh City Branch, and Mr. Nguyen Doan Thong - Head of the Membership, Training, and Communications Department at VCCI - HCM.

Mr. Kwon Youngjin – Director of Jeju Industry-Academic Convergence Institute

Opening the working session, Mr. Kwon Youngjin – Director of Jeju Industry-University Convergence Institute, expressed his gratitude to VCCI and VIAC for their reception, emphasizing the strategic significance of this mission in advancing economic and trade ties between Jeju and Vietnam. The visiting delegation brought together key stakeholders from Jeju National University, the Jeju Industry-Academic Convergence Institute, Jeju Technopark, and prominent local enterprises. Building upon prior technological exchanges and commercial matchmaking activities, the mission expressed high hopes that this dialogue with VCCI and VIAC would unlock new frontiers for bilateral business partnerships. Key collaborative priorities encompass identifying and pairing enterprises with proprietary technologies and competitive product offerings; providing advisory support on regulatory compliance, licensing procedures, and technical standards governing import-export operations; and cultivating strategic partner networks to broaden cross-border market access through both digital e-commerce channels and physical distribution networks in both jurisdictions.

Notably, the Korean delegation expressed a strong desire that the ongoing dialogues transcend mere networking and exploratory engagements to materialize progressively into concrete, actionable initiatives. This envisions paving the way for the potential execution of formal bilateral cooperation agreements, thereby establishing an enduring and mutually beneficial partnership framework for the Vietnamese and South Korean business communities.

Mr. Nguyen Doan Thong – Head of the Membership, Training, and Communications Department at VCCI - HCM

On behalf of VCCI, Mr. Nguyen Doan Thong – Head of the Membership, Training, and Communications Department at VCCI - HCM extended a warm welcome to the Korean delegation on their working visit, expressing deep appreciation for the robust economic and trade partnership between Vietnam and South Korea. Introducing the mission and mandate of VCCI and its Ho Chi Minh City Branch, the VCCI representative underscored its core functions of convening, representing, and supporting the business community; accelerating trade and investment promotion; facilitating cross-border business matchmaking; and policy advocacy aimed at refining the business environment and regulatory frameworks governing enterprise operations.

Leveraging its extensive domestic and international network, VCCI reaffirms its readiness to serve as an effective bridge, assisting Korean enterprises in navigating the local market, engaging prospective partners, and scaling their commercial presence in Vietnam. Concurrently, VCCI welcomes collaborative proposals from Vietnamese corporations and institutions seeking growth avenues in South Korea, particularly in Jeju, thereby fostering two-way market connectivity and unlocking the full cooperative potential between the localities, organizations, and business communities of both nations.

Mr. Chau Viet Bac – Vice Director of the VIAC Ho Chi Minh City Branch (center), and Ms. Bui Thi Yen Trinh - Ho Chi Minh City Promotion and Business Development Manager of VIAC Ho Chi Minh City Branch (right)

Representing VIAC, Mr. Chau Viet Bac – Vice Director of the VIAC Ho Chi Minh City Branch, and Ms. Bui Thi Yen Trinh - Ho Chi Minh City Promotion and Business Development Manager of VIAC Ho Chi Minh City Branch, shared an overview of the Centre’s institutional establishment, evolution, and pioneering role in promoting commercial arbitration and mediation in Vietnam. Beyond its core dispute resolution administration, VIAC places strategic emphasis on spearheading professional training, legal research, and public dissemination of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms across the business community. During the exchange, the VIAC representatives also highlighted their commitment to expanding its international cooperation network by forging and cultivating strategic ties with corporations, business associations, enterprise support organizations, law firms, and arbitral institutions worldwide, notably the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB) in South Korea. These concerted efforts contribute to enriching specialized legal exchanges and strengthening connectivity between the business fraternity and dispute resolution bodies.

Against the backdrop of surging bilateral trade and investment flows between Vietnam and South Korea, VIAC underscored the vital importance of embedding proactive legal safeguards right at the contract negotiation and execution stage. In this light, VIAC representatives elaborated on salient updates in the VIAC Rules of Arbitration 2026, offering practical recommendations for enterprises on proactively utilizing arbitration, incorporating well-crafted arbitration clauses into commercial contracts, and clearly designating the chosen dispute resolution forum and administering arbitral institution.

Exploring cooperation opportunities in education, research, and product development

Building upon the strategic orientations shared, the working session progressed to detailed exchanges on concrete pathways to bridge academic institutions, research organizations, and the business communities of both nations.

Capitalizing on each organization’s statutory mandate and competitive advantages, the session centered on actionable collaborative opportunities bridging Korean businesses, higher education institutions, and the Vietnamese corporate sector. Accordingly, Korean corporate delegates showed keen interest in the dynamics of bilateral trade between Vietnam and South Korea, particularly regarding market intelligence, compliance criteria, and regulatory mandates governing cross-border import and export procedures for goods traded between the two countries. These practical exchanges provided Korean enterprises with deeper insights into the commercial landscape, helping them identify strategic synergies and accelerate business partnerships between the two economies.

In addition, the Korean delegation expressed a keen interest in examining current landscape assessments and established frameworks governing industry-academia collaboration in Vietnam. Concurrently, the mission sought to unlock pathways for joint international programs connecting universities and research institutes with Vietnamese enterprises and business intermediary bodies, prominently including VCCI. This strategic thrust is envisioned to align higher education curricula more closely with dynamic market demands, creating substantial potential for bilateral cooperation in human resource development, cross-border knowledge transfer, and executive capacity-building across both business communities.

Regarding collaborative research, South Korean representatives introduced a strategic initiative to establish a specialized Research and Development (R&D) Institute aimed at advancing applied research, technology transfer, and open innovation. This initiative was met with enthusiastic interest and active backing from VCCI, which affirmed its commitment to exploring rollout roadmaps, matchmaking with compatible domestic partners, and expanding commercialization avenues across Vietnam. These initial discussions are poised to establish a viable foundation for sustainable multi-stakeholder linkages among research hubs, universities, and private enterprises, enabling all parties to maximize collective resources and specialized strengths.

Other images of the meeting

The working session concluded with high expectations for tangible advancements in collaborative ties among academic institutions, research organizations, and the business communities of Vietnam and Korea. Through close coordination between VIAC and VCCI, these bilateral outreach initiatives not only seek to broaden trade and investment horizons but also lay the groundwork for an enduring, sustainable partnership framework. Within this collaborative ecosystem, VCCI leverages its core mandate in trade facilitation, market connectivity, and enterprise advocacy, while VIAC serves as a steadfast legal anchor by promoting effective alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of commercial parties across cross-border transactions. In doing so, both institutions reaffirm their enduring commitment to championing the business community throughout international integration and global expansion.