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Dr. Kum Dongwha Appointed as VKIST’s First President (2017.04.12)
- Date : 2017-08-28
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International Cooperation Team
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Dr. Kum Dongwha Appointed as VKIST’s First President
On April 10, 2017, Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology appointed Dr. Kum Dongwha as president of the Vietnam-Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST).
VKIST’s board of directors unanimously approved Dr. Kum for the position back on April 5. Once final approval was granted by Mr. Chu Ngoc Anh, the Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Kum was officially appointed president of VKIST, with a 5-year term that will last from May 1, 2017, to April 30, 2022.
VKIST is being supported through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)’s VKIST Support Program, which will provide VKIST with a total of KRW 39.1 billion in ODA funding between the years 2014 and 2019.
The VKIST Support Program aims to establish a KIST-like R&D institute in Hanoi’s Hoa Lac High-tech Park in order to strengthen Vietnam’s S&T capabilities and promote economic development.
Dr. Kum Dongwha received a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from Seoul National University and a Ph.D. in materials science & engineering from Stanford. He has been working for KIST ever since 1985, specializing in materials & metallurgical engineering, alloys, and semiconductors. He previously served, from April 2006 to August 2008, as KIST’s 20th president.
Upon the news of his appointment, Dr. Kum said, "I will do my best to use the knowledge and experience I gained from KIST to secure the necessary future growth potential for enabling VKIST to successfully lead Vietnam’s industrialization and become an engine for national development."