Politburo member, President of HCMA (HCMA), Chairman of Central Theoretical Council Nguyen Xuan Thang welcomed Prof. Young-Sup Joo, Chairman of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s National Research Council of Science and Technology (NST) to Hanoi on March 14 to explore how sci-tech can fuel Vietnam’s economic growth.
Politburo member Nguyen Xuan Thang (R) and Prof. Young-Sup Joo
Politburo member, President of HCMA, Chairman of Central Theoretical Council NguyenXuan Thang highlighted Prof. Young-Sup Joo’s expertise in economic development, artificial intelligence (AI), and semiconductors, noting their relevance to Vietnam’s current tech-focused transformation. He pointed to a recent Politburo resolution that prioritises breakthroughs in sci-tech and digital innovation to drive a new production model and modernise leadership practices.
Besides, the Party and State of Vietnam are pushing forward with Government restructuring to ensure a system that is streamlined, strong, efficient and effective. The synchronous enforcement of these strategic policies is expected to propel Vietnam into a new era of growth and development, he said.
The host expressed his hope that Prof. Young-Sup Joo would suggest development models aligned with Vietnam’s priorities of leveraging sci-tech and the private sector, toward a 8% growth goal in 2025 and over 10% in subsequent years.

Overview of the event
Prof. Young-Sup Joo, who is also Chairman of the Korea Digital Innovation Association and former Minister of SMEs and Startups, urged Vietnam to pursue a “leader” approach in AI and technology rather than just catching up. He underlined the importance of building a competitive advantage to secure a top position globally.
Earlier that day, Prof. Young-Sup Joo attended the 2025 Artificial Intelligence and Semiconductor Conference (AISC) in Hanoi, where he praised Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s strategy of harnessing sci-tech, innovation, digital transformation, and green, digital, circular, creative, sharing, and knowledge-based economies as key growth drivers.
With a right strategy, Vietnam can rise to the forefront, he said, committing to partner with HCMA on sharing expertise in AI, semiconductor, and sustainable development policies./.
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