Vietnamese telecommunications giant Viettel and South Korea's KT signs agreement to accelerate AI evolution
In an effort to drive Vietnam's digital transformation and advance its national AI strategy, KT, a leading South Korean tech corporation, and Viettel Global (VGI) have signed a "Strategic Partnership 2.0" agreement. This collaboration, announced in August 2025, aims to boost Vietnam's comprehensive digital transformation across various sectors.
The partnership focuses on four key areas:
- Developing Vietnam’s national AI strategy and sector-specific AI transformation (AX) platforms. These platforms will be tailored for industries such as defense, media, and healthcare, with a goal of creating a national general-purpose AI language model customized for Vietnam’s language, culture, and administrative systems.
- Expanding AX business in Southeast Asia by leveraging Viettel's extensive regional presence and KT’s global technology partnerships to grow AI application ecosystems beyond Vietnam.
- Enhancing AI-based cybersecurity solutions. The partnership will focus on real-time detection and blocking of threats such as voice phishing and deepfakes by jointly developing advanced AI security tools.
- Nurturing AI talent and capability building. The Global AX Innovation Center (G-AXC) will be established to lead AI research and development, provide specialist training, and create AI skill certification programs to support sustainable AI growth and expertise in Vietnam.
KT, with its vision to become an AICT company, fusing AI with ICT, and its AX - AI Transformation strategy with a target of digitizing 80% of its services using AI, will significantly contribute to the collaboration. Tao Duc Thang, chairman of Viettel, believes that the combination of technologies from both sides will boost Vietnam's digital transformation.
The latest agreement also includes joint research on AI cybersecurity solutions to combat voice phishing and deepfake crimes. Moreover, the partnership intends to expand the AX ecosystem in Southeast Asia through global partnerships.
KT's CEO, Kim Young-shub, stated that the partnership extends beyond technology, contributing to Vietnam's future growth. Navigating the evolution of AI is crucial to find the balance between harnessing its economic benefits and mitigating potential risks. Support is needed to strengthen the workforce and related startups in Vietnam to leverage AI effectively.
The AI partnership between KT and Viettel Global is set to play a significant role in the process of innovation and accelerating economic development in Vietnam. The collaboration will involve sharing data and technology between the two sides, with the aim of enhancing Vietnam's competitiveness in the global tech sector.
[1] Viettel Global reports a net profit of $91.14 million for the second quarter of 2025. [2] The second quarter revenue of Viettel Global showed continued growth. [3] KT significantly impacts the digitalisation process, the development of the digital economy, and the creation of a smart society in South Korea. [4] Careful navigation is required to ensure the right policies are in place for the AI revolution.
- The strategic partnership between KT and Viettel Global, with a focus on developing Vietnam's national AI strategy, creating sector-specific AI platforms, and nurturing AI talent, is poised to leverage artificial intelligence for the advancement of Vietnam's digital transformation.
- Recognizing the importance of AI cybersecurity, the partnership will jointly research solutions to combat voice phishing and deepfake crimes, marking a significant step towards bolstering Vietnam's artificial-intelligence-based cybersecurity capabilities.
