Seoul: South Korea and Vietnam on Tuesday discussed ways to expand exchanges in science and technology in the era of digital transition, Seoul's science ministry said. The science ministries of the two countries jointly hosted a roundtable attended by Vietnam's top leader To Lam, who is currently on a state visit to South Korea, along with researchers and business officials from both nations.

According to Yonhap News Agency, during the meeting, the two sides discussed potential cooperation in areas including scientific innovation, digital transition, and technological innovation for small and medium-sized businesses. "Vietnam is a country with close exchanges with South Korea and holds great growth potential," Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said, noting that the Southeast Asian nation is a partner that will jointly open an era of prosperity driven by science, technology, and innovation. "The two countries will continue to communicate closely and expand cooperation down the road," Bae added.

Seoul and Hanoi agreed to follow up on Tuesday's discussions during a bilateral joint committee meeting on science and technology scheduled for later this year. On the sidelines of the roundtable, Bae also met with his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Manh Hung, to discuss various issues, including progress in the Vietnam-Korea Institute of Science and Technology (V-KIST), a bilateral project focused on promoting exchanges in the science sector.

Lam's state visit, meanwhile, marks the first by a foreign leader since the launch of the Lee Jae Myung administration in early June.