Dr. Mun-Ki LEE, Director of RCARO, attended the 8th Vietnamese National Conference on Nuclear Science and Technology, which was held in Nha Trang, Vietnam from August 20 to 22, 2009, in order to provide enhanced visibility for the RCA at regional and national forums, and to introduce RCARO and its activities.

The Director of RCARO and his administration officer, Dr. Jin-Hyung KIM made a presentation at the Plenary Session on the first day when about 200 Vietnamese and foreign participants listened to and learned of RCA and RCARO activities.

The conference, which was organized by the Vietnamese Atomic Energy Society, Vietnamese Atomic Energy Institute (formerly Vietnamese Atomic Energy Commission), and Department of Science and Technology of Khanh Hoa Province, showed an increasing heat toward the peaceful uses of nuclear energy with a lot of technical papers presented at the 6 Specific Technical Sessions: Section A - Nuclear Reactor, Nuclear Power, Nuclear Fuel and Materials, Radioactive Waste; Section B – Nuclear Physics, Nuclear Techniques; Section C – Application of Nuclear Techniques to Healthcare; Section D – Application of Nuclear Techniques to Agriculture and Biology; Section E – Application of Nuclear Techniques to Resources and Environmental Studies; Section F – Application of Nuclear Techniques to Industry.

Especially this conference was a very important and meaningful event in the Vietnamese Nuclear Society since the Atomic Energy Law, which was approved by the 12th National Assembly on the 3rd June 2008, has entered into force on January 1, 2009, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade has also completed the project on Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant that is scheduled to be given consideration in the coming meeting of the National Assembly.

Dr. LEE also have met Dr. Le Dinh Tien, Vice-minister of Ministry of Science and Technology, and Dr. Vuong Huu Tan, President of the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute along with Chairman of Khanh Hoa Province People’s Committee at the conference to discuss on behalf of the RCA on feasibility of more active Vietnam’s participation to the RCA projects and on possibility of providing nuclear technologies that address socio-economic needs and contribute to sustainable development in the region.

The conference is held every two years following the 7th conference held in Da Nang from August 30 to 31, 2007. The 9th conference is expected to be held in 2011.