Professor Heo Chan-yeong, KSAPS president speaks at the 2026 Việt Nam-Korea Aesthetic Science Symposium at Military Hospital 175 on October 3 in HCM City. — Photos courtesy of organisers

HCM CITY — Vietnamese and South Korean experts have partnered to elevate the quality and safety of cosmetic surgery in response to rising demand in Việt Nam in recent years.

Leading doctors and delegates gathered together at the 2026 Việt Nam-Korea Aesthetic Science Symposium at Military Hospital 175 on October 3 in HCM City.

It was a chance for them to engage in direct dialogue regarding indications, clinical data and technological applications within a hospital setting.

The symposium featured eight scientific presentations covering a range of topics, including Polydioxanone thread lifting, clinical trial data, 3D-printed silicone implants, skin boosters, high-intensity focused ultrasound, radio frequency and microwave technology.

South Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) Executive Director Jeong Young-hun noted that the event's significance stemmed from professional associations and hospitals across both nations sharing clinical expertise and engaging in physician training, backed by public agencies.

"Here, medical professionals and businesses can directly discuss technology and practical training needs, linking these elements to future collaborations," Jeong said.

"Support from managing agencies helps expand platforms for international exchange and training while facilitating sustained cooperation. I believe this event will enable the medical technologies of both South Korea and Việt Nam to advance together."

About 250 doctors and delegates take part in the symposium specialising in aesthetics.

Professor Heo Chan Yeong, president of the Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (KSAPS), said technologies for stable high-energy control, biostimulators that harness the skin's natural regenerative capabilities and non-surgical procedures such as thread lifts and fillers were currently drawing significant interest.

He believed these trends would continue over the next two to three years. Crucially, they must be underpinned by technological competence and safety. South Korean products and Việt Nam’s rapidly advancing technological capabilities needed to evolve in tandem.

Senior Colonel Dr Nguyễn Việt Cường, deputy director of Military Hospital 175, said that reconstructive and aesthetic surgery was a priority specialty for the hospital's development. The conference enabled Vietnamese doctors to access South Korean techniques, materials, and in-depth research, allowing them to learn and enhance their professional expertise.

He said that local practices remain focused on application, while capabilities for in-depth research into technologies and materials were still limited. The hospital planned to send doctors to South Korea for further study and coordinate with partners on material development and applied clinical research to ensure efficacy and patient safety.

The symposium, sponsored by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea., was the first event of the K-Beauty Meets 2026, a series of professional programmes on medical aesthetics. It will be followed by a conference on advanced skills training K-Beauty K.A.T on October 4 in HCM City, and an aesthetic science seminar on October 17-18 in Hà Nội.

The event series is co-chaired by the KSAPS, the Việt Nam Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and Military Hospital 175; and co-organised by the KHIDI, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital and the Korea Beauty Industry Technology Association. — VNS