KATHMANDU, Feb 12: Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nepal, Tae-young Park, attended the opening ceremony of the IEEE International Conference on ICT and Photonics (ICTP 2026) and the KAIST Global Digital Innovation & Impact (GDI) Workshop in Kathmandu on Thursday.
The four-day conference (February 11–14) is being held at Hotel Hyatt Centric, Soaltee Mode. It marks the first IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) conference ever organised in Nepal.
ICTP 2026 is jointly organised by the Research and Innovation Center Nepal (RICON) and Nepal Engineering College (affiliated with Pokhara University), with technical sponsorship from the IEEE Nepal Chapter and the IEEE Photonics Society Nanjing Chapter. The event is co-organised by KAIST’s Graduate School of Global Digital Innovation (GDI) and has brought together more than 200 national and international researchers, academics, innovators and students.
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Addressing the ceremony as chief guest, Ambassador Park congratulated the organisers, describing the conference as “a proud and significant moment for Nepal’s scientific and academic community.” He commended Conference Chair Prof Bikash Nakarmi, Prof Dr Seung Hun Han, Dean of KAIST GDI, and the organising committee for creating a global platform for dialogue and collaboration.
The ambassador highlighted the significance of hosting ICTP 2026 alongside the Global Digital Innovation & Impact Workshop led by KAIST GDI, supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea. He said the collaboration reflects the growing partnership between Nepal and Korea in science, technology and digital innovation.
He noted that the ICT sector remains a priority area of bilateral cooperation. Through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Korean government has been supporting Nepal in strengthening ICT infrastructure and digital capacity.
Among key initiatives, the Government Integrated Data Center (GIDC) in Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, was established with substantial financial and technical assistance from Korea. The centre stores, manages and backs up public data. Likewise, the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Hetauda, also supported by Korea, serves as a backup facility designed to minimise data loss caused by natural or human-induced disasters.
Another major project supported by the Korean government is the establishment of a modern Cyber Bureau for Nepal Police through a USD 8 million KOICA grant. The initiative aims to enhance digital forensic capabilities and combat cybercrime, with the facility expected to become operational by the end of 2026.
Encouraging young researchers and students participating in the conference, Ambassador Park said they are future leaders who will shape the digital world. Emphasising the transformative role of ICT, photonics, artificial intelligence and digital governance, he stated that technological advancement—guided by sound policy and strengthened through international cooperation—can drive sustainable and inclusive growth. He reaffirmed Korea’s commitment to sharing its development experience and supporting Nepal’s digital transformation and innovation-driven development.
