Sharing the same bloodline of Lac Hong: Young doctor builds 'bridges' in Korea

30-YEAR-OLD DOCTOR

Mr. Liem started his career at Can Tho University, majoring in Industrial Management, and graduated with honors as valedictorian of his faculty. After graduating, Mr. Liem worked in many ODA projects of the Korean Government in Can Tho. He worked in the Executive Committee of the Youth Union and was the Chairman of the Vietnam - Korea Friendship Association, under the Union of Friendship Organizations of the former Can Tho City. Mr. Liem mainly supported Korean promotion delegations to Can Tho and neighboring provinces.

- Ảnh 1. — Mr. Do Van Chien, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, met and honored outstanding overseas Vietnamese, including Dr. Nguyen Thanh Liem, in 2024.

He was assigned to work as an assistant to a Korean expert in three main areas of expertise: mechanics, aquaculture and agricultural processing. This was also his first opportunity, marking the beginning of his investment promotion work and his deep connection with Korea.

In 2017, Mr. Liem decided to go to Korea to study for a master's degree in Business Administration and continue to study for a doctorate in the same field and complete the program by the end of 2022.

The first phase in Korea was a big challenge for Mr. Liem, especially in terms of language. He shared that in Vietnam he mainly used English at work and did not invest much in Korean. "The professors gave me 6 months to learn both English and Korean, with the warning that if I could not communicate in Korean after that time, they would not respond to questions in English. It was like being thrown into the water, if I could swim, I could swim, if not, I would return to Vietnam," Mr. Liem expressed.

With a strong will, Mr. Liem tried his best to study, participate in classes and all activities related to Korean. To make ends meet, in addition to the scholarship, he also worked part-time like many other students, from washing dishes to serving. One of the special opportunities that came at the end of his first year was that he was able to participate in the school's "Move" program, teaching basic Vietnamese and Vietnamese culture to Korean students who were about to come to Vietnam for an internship. This was the first opportunity that led him to become a "Vietnamese teacher" during his journey living in Korea.

- Ảnh 2. — Dr. Liem *(second from left)* and his companions during university activities in Korea

Even during the challenging years of studying abroad, Mr. Liem's passion for contributing to the community never faded. "I noticed that neighboring universities all had active student associations, while my school did not. That urged me to take action. I proactively researched other schools and directly contacted the General Association of Vietnamese Students in Korea to ask how to establish an association. The President of the association shared that I was the first person to proactively contact to establish an association at a university," Mr. Liem said.

In 2018, the Vietnamese Student Association at Soonchunguyang University in Asan City, Chungcheongnam Province, was officially established from Mr. Liem's daring to think and act. As the leader, Mr. Liem and the association members organized many practical activities, especially sports programs to gather students. Other activities include "Mentor - Mentee", which means the older generation mentors and guides new international students about life in Korea; guiding in choosing majors, sharing study experiences for Vietnamese international students, especially majors with Koreans, where Vietnamese students may encounter difficulties; donating and sharing free books, helping to reduce the burden of textbook costs, which are not cheap in Korea; volunteering, collecting clothes and old items that can still be used to donate to charitable organizations.

C SUPPORTING VIETNAMESE PEOPLE IN KOREA

In 2021, Mr. Liem joined the General Association of Vietnamese in Korea as a member. He is currently the Vice President in charge of external communications.

In May 2024, Mr. Liem continued to initiate and establish the Vietnamese Association in Chungcheongnam Province (a province with 22,000 Vietnamese people, accounting for about 17% of the total Vietnamese people, ranking 5th in Korea) and received enthusiastic support from the General Association and the Vietnamese Embassy in Korea.

- Ảnh 3. — Dr. Liem *(second from left)* participates in the parade at the 80th National Day celebration on September 2.

Although newly established, the association has made practical contributions to Vietnamese people living in Chungcheongnam province such as: requesting diplomatic notes to support exemption and reduction of hospital fees for sick Vietnamese people; supporting cases of domestic violence, contacting relevant organizations to find safe solutions and protect the rights of Vietnamese people; connecting with the Korean Ministry of Labor to advise Vietnamese workers; disseminating Korean law, cooperating with foreign support centers to popularize labor law, marriage and family law; organizing cultural and sports events attracting hundreds of Vietnamese people to participate and the presence of officials of the province and Asan City.

Although he has graduated with a doctorate, Mr. Liem still decided to stay in Korea to accumulate more practical experience and expand his network of relationships, because he believes that he still does not have enough practical experience to contribute most effectively. He always considers himself a small part but always wants to return to and contribute to his homeland.

This doctor's strengths lie in diplomacy, connection and investment promotion. He has the ability to clearly understand the needs of Korean businesses when they want to invest in Vietnam, thereby creating connections that bring optimal economic benefits to both sides. In fact, his activities are always closely linked to Vietnam. He often returns to Vietnam to promote investment between Vietnam and Korea. He also supports cultural exchange activities, such as connecting Chungcheongnam province with Long An province (old, now Tay Ninh). Or in 2020, Mr. Liem brought 50 multicultural youth to Long An province for an exchange.

Dr. Liem is currently a member of the Vietnam Innovation Network in Korea (VINK) under NIC (National Innovation Center, Ministry of Finance). Last August, Mr. Liem had the honor to meet and speak to General Secretary To Lam during the General Secretary's State visit to Korea about Korea's experience in regional economic development (RIS model - Regional Innovation System). Currently, Mr. Liem is assigned to be the Head of VINK's Policy and Strategy Department, tasked with gathering a group of economic and financial experts to clarify the issue and propose projects and directions for Vietnam.

Recently, in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2025), upon the recommendation of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Mr. Liem was selected as the representative of Korean expatriates to participate in the parade in Hanoi. After the National Day, Mr. Liem received another award from the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee for his contributions to promoting international cooperation for Ho Chi Minh City. In the coming time, Mr. Liem hopes to further promote his role and strengthen cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Asan City, Chungcheongnam Province, especially in the fields of foreign affairs, cultural exchange and economic cooperation.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chung-dong-mau-lac-hong-tien-si-tre-kien-tao-nhung-nhip-cau-tren-dat-han-185250913213430658.htm