Economy

Samsung's Vietnam CEO Visits the Prime Minister — What Was Discussed?

Vietnam's PM Pham Minh Chinh met Samsung Vietnam CEO Choi Joo Ho to discuss digital transformation, semiconductors, and AI. Samsung has invested $23.2 billion in Vietnam.

[Samsung's Vietnam CEO Visits the Prime Minister — What Was Discussed?]

On February 12, Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh personally received Samsung Vietnam CEO Choi Joo Ho to discuss digital transformation, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence. The red-carpet treatment is no surprise — Samsung is Vietnam's largest foreign investor, with $23.2 billion in cumulative investment, $62.5 billion in revenue, and $54.4 billion in exports. Numbers like these earn a seat at any head of state's table.

▍ The Next Step in Localization

The PM's message was clear: Samsung is already a heavyweight in Vietnam, so how does the relationship deepen further? Since 2014, Samsung's local supplier count has grown to 306 companies, genuinely helping Vietnam's domestic supply chain develop. But Pham Minh Chinh raised another question: can more Vietnamese nationals hold senior management roles at Samsung Vietnam? It sounded like Vietnam's version of a localization push.

▍ Frequent High-Level Exchanges

This visit was by Samsung Vietnam's CEO Choi Joo Ho. Samsung Group Chairman Lee Jae-yong last visited Vietnam in 2022. In 2024, PM Pham Minh Chinh made a reciprocal trip to Seoul and met Lee in person. With international tensions expected to intensify in 2025, keeping Samsung's Vietnam operations running smoothly amid geopolitical turbulence will demand even more attention from both sides. Chairman Lee may well be planning his next Vietnam trip already.

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