Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- Samsung SDS, the information technology wing of South Korea's Samsung Group, forged a partnership with Vietnam's Sovico Group to support digital transformation and logistics business innovation as part of its strategy to expand its clout in Southeast Asia.

A memorandum of understanding was signed at the head office of Samsung SDS in Seoul last week during a visit by Sovico Chairman Nguyen Thanh Hung of Sovico, which owns Vietnam's biggest private airliner, VietJet, as well as subsidiaries in the finance, retail, real estate, and energy industries.

Samsung SDS said in a statement released on Monday that the two companies would seek cooperation in the fields of logistics, digital finance, retail, solutions for smart city, loyalty programs and other areas. The South Korean company will collaborate with Sovico's subsidiaries in the logistics business to find new business opportunities, while Samsung SDS' know-how and technology platforms will be used to enhance Sovico's digital services.

Samsung SDS CEO Hong Won-pyo said his company would support Sovico Group's digital innovation. "We believe this partnership will help us to further expand our presence in Vietnam."

In July, Samsung SDS made a strategic investment in CMC, a Vietnamese IT service company, to seek synergy in the fields of smart factory, cloud and cybersecurity. CMC specializes in software development, cloud computing and the operation of IT infrastructure. Samsung SDS plans to expand its internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and big data business in the Southeast Asian market.