MOLIT asks Vietnam to allow Korean companies to participate in North–South express railway project

[Financial News] Kim Yun-duk, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, is stepping up cooperation with the Vietnamese government in railways and smart cities, including the North–South express railway construction project.
On the 26th, Kim met with Tran Hong Minh, Vietnam’s Minister of Construction, at the Korea Territorial Development Exhibition Hall and asked for cooperation so that Korean companies can take part in the feasibility study for the North–South express railway project. They also discussed ways to expand cooperation in smart cities, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), and people-to-people exchanges.
Kim said railway cooperation has been producing results, citing the first Korea-Vietnam Railway Cooperation Conference held after the ministerial talks between the two countries in July. He added, "I hope the two countries can continue to pursue more concrete cooperation on the North–South express railway project as well." He also asked the Vietnamese government to show interest and provide support so that South Korea’s public institutions and companies can actively participate from the feasibility study stage, drawing on their experience and technology in high-speed rail design, construction, and operation.
Kim introduced South Korea’s policy experience in smart cities and said he hopes to contribute to the development of Vietnamese cities and transportation through projects such as the K-City Network. He also proposed expanding people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, introducing a master’s program for capacity building in infrastructure development policy for Vietnamese officials.
The Vietnamese side said the site visits to smart cities and ITS were impressive, and welcomed participation by Korean companies as infrastructure demand is rising sharply following administrative restructuring. It also shared updates on the progress of the North–South express railway project and said it expects broader cooperation in the urban rail sector as well.
The two sides plan to hold the first Korea-Vietnam Infrastructure and Technology Cooperation Committee at the end of this year to regularize cooperation in infrastructure fields such as urban development and railways, and to discuss key partnership tasks in detail.

[email protected] Choi Ga-young Reporter