Ho Chi Minh City: Boosting Korea ties through AI, innovation

Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Science and Technology on Friday announced HCMC K-Brand Expo 2026, a three-day event aimed at strengthening business ties between Vietnam and South Korea.

Scheduled for August 27-29, the expo is expected to feature nearly 200 exhibitors from 18 of South Korea's key industrial cities.

Technology and AI companies will account for more than 40 percent of the exhibitors, the highest share since the event was first held five years ago.

After five editions, HCMC K-Brand Expo has evolved from a traditional trade exhibition into a broader platform linking trade, investment, innovation, and workforce development between Vietnam and South Korea.

The event will include pre-scheduled business matchmaking sessions, forums, seminars, investment networking activities, as well as programs for startups and university students.

Quang Hieu, deputy director of HCMC's Department of Science and Technology, said the expo comes as Vietnam and South Korea continue to expand cooperation under their comprehensive strategic partnership, particularly in high technology, semiconductors, energy, supply chains, and innovation.

Hieu said local authorities are now focused on turning high-level bilateral commitments into commercial contracts, purchase orders, and investment projects.

He said HCMC K-Brand Expo 2026 is expected to serve as a platform for businesses from both countries to meet potential partners and turn cooperation opportunities into concrete projects.

He said this year's exhibitor lineup reflects changing priorities in bilateral cooperation, with technology and AI becoming the largest sector at the expo for the first time, overtaking traditional categories such as food, cosmetics, and household products.

The event will showcase solutions in applied AI, digital healthcare, climate technology, smart manufacturing, smart cities, financial technology, and education technology.

Ryu Seung Ho, consul for small- and medium-sized enterprises at the South Korean Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, described the city as a young and dynamic consumer market as well as one of Vietnam's leading startup and innovation hubs, home to a growing ecosystem of technology companies, investors, and highly skilled talent.

He said HCMC K-Brand Expo goes beyond a conventional trade exhibition.

"It provides South Korean companies with an opportunity to meet Vietnamese consumers directly, better understand local demand, identify reliable business partners, and expand cooperation with Vietnamese companies in areas including AI, technology, food, beauty, and lifestyle," Ryu said.

He added that the South Korean Consulate General would continue to support business cooperation between the two countries, helping companies develop sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships and deepen bilateral economic ties.