The 6th Vietnam–Korea Policy Dialogue on Distribution and Logistics, held in Seoul, marked a significant step forward in strengthening bilateral cooperation across supply chains, trade facilitation, and digital transformation. The event underscored both countries’ commitment to deepening collaboration in the logistics sector amid accelerating digitalization and shifting global supply chains.

With a series of new cooperation proposals, the dialogue opened up fresh opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of Vietnamese enterprises, expand market access for Vietnamese goods in Korea, and improve the overall business environment for logistics and distribution activities.

Source: Vietnam Business Forum

Growing Opportunities for Vietnamese Goods in the Korean Market

At the conference, Mr. Choi Yeonwoo, Director-General of Korea’s Policy Bureau for Medium Enterprises, highlighted Vietnam as one of Asia’s most dynamic and fast-growing economies. He emphasized that Vietnam’s increasingly attractive investment environment continues to draw strong interest from Korean companies.

From the Vietnamese side, Mr. Tran Huu Linh, Director General of the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development, noted that the Vietnam–Korea policy dialogue mechanism, which has been maintained since 2013, has become an effective platform for sharing experiences in managing distribution and logistics systems while strengthening business-to-business connections.

He added that Vietnam’s total retail sales in the first ten months of 2025 reached VND 5,772.9 trillion, up 9.3% year-on-year, demonstrating a strong recovery in domestic consumption and the growing role of the internal market in supporting logistics demand.

E-commerce Growth Accelerates Demand for Modern Logistics

The rapid expansion of e-commerce has significantly increased demand for smart warehouses, automated fulfillment centers, and modern logistics hubs. Vietnamese logistics companies are gradually investing in technology, automation, and digital platforms to improve supply chain efficiency and service quality.

However, Mr. Linh stressed that the fast pace of development also requires continuous institutional reform, policy updates, and learning from international experience—particularly from Korea, which has advanced logistics systems and strong digital integration across retail and distribution networks.

Focus on Digital Transformation and Intellectual Property Protection

Source: Tin Tuc va Dan Toc Newspaper

A key focus of this year’s dialogue was digital transformation and the application of AI in logistics and supply chain management. Korean representatives shared best practices in developing smart distribution systems, operating outlet models, and leveraging big data to optimize transportation and warehousing.

Vietnam, meanwhile, updated participants on its ongoing policy reforms aimed at supporting enterprises in adopting new technologies while simplifying administrative procedures in logistics and distribution.

Another major topic was cooperation on protecting intellectual property rights (IPR) for Korean enterprises operating in Vietnam. Both sides agreed to strengthen information sharing, enhance inspections of high-risk goods, and raise awareness of counterfeit identification to ensure fair competition and protect brand value.

New Cooperation Proposals for Sustainable Logistics Development

Looking ahead, Vietnam proposed several cooperation priorities, including expanding policy dialogue and professional training programs, accelerating digital transformation and technology transfer, and improving operational capacity for Vietnamese logistics enterprises.

Both sides also discussed promoting ESG standards in the logistics and distribution sector through policy consultation and sharing Korea’s successful models. In addition, Vietnam aims to further boost the consumption of Vietnamese goods through Korean retail systems such as Lotte, Emart, GS25, K-Mart, and Lotteria, while supporting Vietnamese businesses entering the Korean market through practical guidelines and thematic workshops.

Source: Vietnam Business Forum

18/12/2025