Building on the Bridge of 1992 Diplomatic Ties: 'BOM Talk' Paves a New Horizon for Korea-Vietnam Cooperation

BOM Foundation Holds Special Meeting with Former Ambassador Nguyen Phu Binh

Combining SME Market Expansion and Support for Agent Orange Victims

Exploring Links with the 2027 APEC Summit

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, the scope of cooperation between Korea and Vietnam has expanded from the fields of economy and investment to encompass private-sector partnerships that combine digital technology, culture and arts, and humanitarian efforts.

Bom Foundation Chair Ha Eun Son (left) is having a special meeting with Nguyen Phu Binh, the first Vietnamese Ambassador to South Korea (right), in Vietnam, followed by a commemorative photo after discussing cooperation in technology, culture, and humanitarian efforts.
[Photo by Bom Foundation in Vietnam]

On September 29 at 10:00 AM (local time in Vietnam), the BOM Foundation held a special meeting in Vietnam with former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the inaugural Vietnamese Ambassador to Korea, Nguyen Phu Binh. During this meeting, they discussed ways to expand Korea-Vietnam private-sector cooperation and explored collaboration models that integrate digital technology and humanitarian support, including developing market opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based on the "BOM Talk Super App," supporting victims of Agent Orange and dioxin, and fostering cultural and art exchanges.

More than a simple business presentation, this meeting focused on finding ways to expand the cooperative foundation accumulated over the last 30 years since the 1992 establishment of diplomatic ties into technology, culture, and social contribution.

Former Ambassador Nguyen Phu Binh played a key role in the early phase of diplomatic relations and later served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in Vietnam.

Especially in light of the elevation of their bilateral relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" in 2022, Korea and Vietnam have broadened their cooperation to include not just the economy and industry but also science and technology, digital transformation, culture, and human exchanges. The BOM Foundation presented a business model at the private level that merges a technology platform with social contribution initiatives.

◆ From Messenger to Commerce, Payments, and Education: Building the "BOM Talk Super App"

The BOM Talk Super App, which is the core business initiative of the foundation, aims to create a multi-functional digital service platform that integrates messaging, live streaming, live commerce, online payment, and educational content within a single ecosystem.

In particular, the foundation plans to strengthen digital distribution and sales functionalities, enabling small business owners and SMEs not just to communicate with users, but also to register their products and services directly and to connect with domestic and overseas consumers.

By facilitating real-time sharing of product information and transactions between companies and consumers via live commerce, and by sequentially linking educational content and various lifestyle convenience services, the foundation intends to broaden the platform’s scope of use.

The security domain is also a core development focus. The foundation is committed to building a messenger environment that ensures the protection of users’ personal information and data, while aiming for both stability and user convenience as the service expands.

Through these measures, the BOM Foundation plans to provide a new digital marketplace for SMEs and small businesses that struggle to access overseas markets, and to develop the platform into a private business bridge connecting Korean and Vietnamese companies and consumers.

Bom Foundation Chair Ha Eun Son (third from right) is seen shaking hands and taking a commemorative photo with former Vietnamese Ambassador Ph Binh Nguyen (fourth from right) and other officials after planning to support victims of Agent Orange and dioxin through partial operation profits combining SME digital marketing channels and social contribution activities.
[Photo by Bom Foundation Vietnam]

◆ Channeling Platform Profits Back to Society: Support for Agent Orange Victims

Another axis of the BOM Talk project is social contribution. The BOM Foundation announced that a portion of the profits generated during platform operations will be allocated to funds aimed at supporting Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange and dioxin, as well as other socially vulnerable groups.

The goal is to establish a cyclical structure in which a portion of the economic value created by product sales, consumer purchases, and platform operations is channeled back to support the vulnerable.

This model goes beyond simple donations or one-off sponsorships by creating a sustainable support system, in which the growth of the platform and expansion of social contribution funds are interconnected.

The BOM Foundation has previously maintained exchanges with organizations related to Vietnamese Agent Orange and dioxin victims, exploring ways to link sponsorships, donations, volunteering, medical support, education, and cultural exchanges through digital platforms.

Going forward, the foundation plans to consult with local stakeholders and organizations to discuss the specific scope and methods of providing support, aiming to develop aid for Agent Orange victims into a more sustainable and systematic private-sector cooperative project.

◆ Collaborating with the Vietnamese Art Industry to Expand "Art + Humanitarian" Cooperation

Cultural and artistic initiatives have also been highlighted as a major field of cooperation. The BOM Foundation recently explained that it is in discussions with the Vietnamese art scene about cultural and artistic projects to support victims of Agent Orange.

The idea is to link art exhibitions and international cultural exchanges to social contribution, and then connect these initiatives to the digital platform—building a structure that ties together artists, their works, businesses, consumers, and sponsors.

The foundation believes that cultural and artistic activities can transcend the realm of mere exhibition and observation, narrowing the emotional distance between the peoples of both countries and raising international awareness of marginalized groups. Accordingly, the foundation plans to expand related projects.

In particular, by collaborating with the local Vietnamese art scene and related organizations, the foundation is working to organize exhibitions and exchange events while concretely connecting these activities to support for Agent Orange and dioxin victims.

◆ Finalizing Projects such as "Baba Market" Around October 15

According to Chairperson Son’s representatives, the foundation plans to solidify related businesses such as "Baba Market" around October 15, and to sequentially promote follow-up projects utilizing brands such as "Bomi" and "Chanmi," centered around BOM Messaging Conversation.

According to the foundation, trademarks related to "BOM Talk," "Bomi," and "Chanmi" have already been registered with the Korean Intellectual Property Office.

Rather than managing these brands independently, the foundation is considering ways to expand them as a single ecosystem that connects digital platforms, commerce, culture and the arts, and social contribution.

In particular, the plan is to develop Baba Market into a distribution platform connecting Vietnamese SMEs, producers, and Korean companies with mutual products and services, and to integrate the public interest purpose of supporting Agent Orange victims into the business model.

◆ Seeking to Combine Culture and Technology Cooperation with the 2027 Vietnam APEC Summit

The BOM Foundation is also exploring ways to connect cultural and technological exchanges with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled to be held in Vietnam in 2027.

According to the foundation, the meeting with former Ambassador Nguyen Phu Binh included discussion of plans to link international art gallery projects and the BOM Talk Super App to APEC-related events.

The foundation plans to introduce outstanding artworks by Korean and Vietnamese artists to the international stage and to consult with relevant authorities on ways to expand bilateral exchanges in culture and the arts.

In addition, there are plans to create opportunities during APEC for presenting the BOM Talk Super App’s business model and examples of Korea-Vietnam private-sector cooperation to the international community.

However, participation in official APEC events, as well as the exhibition of artworks, event location, and event format, remain unconfirmed and are subject to agreement with the Vietnamese government and relevant organizations through formal procedures.

Accordingly, the BOM Foundation will promote these projects progressively, establish working relationships with local stakeholders, and devise ways to organically link international art galleries, SME support, digital platforms, and social contribution projects.

Bomi and Chanmi are assets of the Bom Foundation. They are registered trademarks with the Copyright Commission and the Korean Intellectual Property Office. Please be informed that unauthorized use may result in legal penalties.
Photo by Bom Foundation

◆ "Technology-Generated Profits, Returned to Social Value"

Ha Eun Son, Chairperson of the BOM Foundation, stated, "Our goal is for BOM Messaging Conversation to grow beyond just a messenger app or commercial platform, evolving into a digital ecosystem that connects companies and consumers, the art and culture scene, and the socially disadvantaged."

She further explained, "We want to open up new markets for SMEs and small business owners, and to ensure that part of the economic value generated through the platform cycles back as support for Agent Orange victims and marginalized groups."

Chairperson Son added, "Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1992, Korea and Vietnam have quickly grown closer, mainly through the economy and industry," and emphasized, "Going forward, there is a need for a sustainable private-sector cooperation framework that encompasses technology, culture, education, and social contribution."

The BOM Foundation plans to expand consultations with local Vietnamese organizations and private groups, and to sequentially materialize the service model for the BOM Talk Super App, SME support systems, cultural and artistic projects, and Agent Orange victim support initiatives.

If this project is realized as an actual business, it is expected to serve as a case in which the scope of Korea-Vietnam private cooperation extends beyond traditional investment and trade to include digital platforms, culture and arts, and social contribution.

However, the local launch of BOM Messaging Conversation, online payment, and e-commerce services in Vietnam is likely to be determined by local laws, licenses, and financial regulations. Projects linked to APEC must also be discussed with relevant authorities and official event organizers.

If the 1992 diplomatic agreement connected Korea and Vietnam as partners in diplomacy and the economy, 30 years later, cooperation between the two nations is now moving into new areas such as technology, culture, and humanitarian efforts. The essence of the BOM Foundation's model lies not in the scale of the platform itself, but in whether it can truly realize a structure in which economic value generated by technology is returned as social value.

In particular, supporting Agent Orange and dioxin victims cannot be accomplished through a single event or one-time donation. Continuous funding, transparent operations, and trust with local organizations must all be fostered together. If a virtuous cycle is established in which profit from SME expansion, cultural exchanges, and growth of the digital platform flows back to support victims and the vulnerable, it could become a new model of private-sector social contribution.

Ultimately, the success of the BOM Talk project depends not on flashy technology or prominent international events, but on "sustainability" and "execution." It remains to be seen in the coming months whether it can build another private-sector bridge of sharing atop the foundation that Korea-Vietnam diplomacy laid in 1992, connecting technology, the arts, and social value.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.