Vietnam

Thanh tra tiệm vàng tại TP HCM và Đồng Nai

VN Express | Local Language | News | Oct. 20, 2025 | Regulation

On October 17, the State Bank branch for Region 2, covering Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai, issued a directive to local authorities to enhance inspections and oversight of gold trading activities. This includes coordination with provincial inspectorates, Departments of Industry and Trade, police, tax offices, and Departments of Science and Technology to monitor gold shops, establishments dealing in gold bars, and producers of gold and artisanal jewelry, especially in busy commercial areas or locations with signs of suspicious transactions or documentation.

The authorities are requested to focus on enforcing compliance with price listing regulations, verifying the provenance of gold, and overseeing foreign currency trading linked to gold transactions. The aim is to prevent speculative practices, market manipulation, and profiteering arising from price discrepancies. Since late August 2025, both global and domestic SJC gold prices have surged sharply, prompting strong buying demand despite limited supply.

The persistent rise in gold prices is attributed to global economic factors including trade disputes, US tariff policies, and the weakening of the US dollar. Additionally, expectations of continued price increases amid low interest rates and constrained gold supply have driven consumer buying behavior. The regional State Bank also acknowledged the possibility of some businesses or individuals exploiting market volatility to speculate or manipulate prices, contributing to abnormal price fluctuations.

Vietnam Net - E | English | News | Oct. 20, 2025 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

Vietnam has successfully developed and mastered polymer banknote technology through homegrown innovation, following inspiration from the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet. Initially reliant on imported substrates, Vietnam issued its first polymer banknotes in 2003 to combat rampant counterfeiting and improve monetary security. This shift marked a critical turning point after decades of challenges, including economic volatility and dependence on foreign technical support.

By 2023, Vietnam overcame its reliance on imported polymer substrates with the breakthrough development of its own PolySecure technology by Q&T High-Tech Polymer Company. This achievement made Vietnam the third country globally capable of independently producing multilayer polymer banknote substrates. The new PolySecure - Shield technology embeds anti-counterfeiting features within the substrate layers, enhancing security, durability, and reducing production costs. This innovation significantly reduces supply chain risks and foreign dependency.

The move to domestically produced substrates has critical economic and security implications. It retains approximately $1 billion previously spent on imports within Vietnam’s economy, supports local job creation, and establishes a high-tech industrial value chain. Moreover, Vietnam’s strategic partnership with Crane Currency, a leading US banknote supplier, strengthens international collaboration and credibility. The nation now actively engages with other countries interested in its polymer currency technology, affirming its position in the global market.

Vietnam’s polymer banknote advancement exemplifies the principles of Resolution 57-NQ/TW, focusing on scientific innovation as a pathway to prosperity. Vietnamese enterprises like Q&T have demonstrated the ability to compete internationally by mastering core technologies, securing intellectual property rights, and effectively commercializing innovations. This milestone reflects Vietnam’s commitment to technological sovereignty and global competitiveness in high-security currency production.

Phá đường dây lừa đảo trực tuyến: Campuchia bàn giao, hồi hương 64 công dân Hàn Quốc

Bao Dien Tu | Local Language | News | Oct. 20, 2025 | Corporate Corruption or Fraud

Cambodian authorities have handed over and repatriated 64 South Korean citizens suspected of involvement in online fraud networks. This action is part of a legal process overseen by Cambodia’s Secretariat of the Special Committee for the Prevention and Suppression of High-Tech Fraud Crimes. Over the past four months, Cambodian law enforcement has dismantled 92 fraud sites across 18 provinces, arrested approximately 3,455 suspects of 20 nationalities, prosecuted 10 major cases, indicted 75 ringleaders, and repatriated 2,825 foreign nationals. Authorities have also rescued victims of human trafficking and dismantled related criminal networks.

The repatriation followed the death of a South Korean university student found near a tourist site in southern Cambodia in August, believed to be linked to these fraud networks. This serious incident led to intensified government action. A South Korean emergency response team led by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina arrived in Phnom Penh on October 16 to cooperate with Cambodian officials including Prime Minister Hun Manet to address online fraud.

In July, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet initiated a large-scale crackdown on online fraud due to its regional and global threats. Concurrently, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung ordered emergency measures on October 17 to remove fraudulent job advertisements targeting citizens with offers of easy, high-paying work in Southeast Asia. South Korea’s media and law enforcement agencies are reviewing and deleting such online posts, with tech companies forming an advisory body for self-regulation to detect suspicious advertisements.

On October 18, South Korean police arrested a recruiter involved in luring individuals abroad with false promises of lucrative jobs, linked to the case of the deceased student in Cambodia. The suspect, along with an accomplice, allegedly facilitated illegal financial transactions related to the fraud operations. The student’s official cause of death was cardiac arrest due to torture, highlighting the violent conditions victims face in Cambodia’s online fraud rings. The South Korean government has responded by dispatching a task force to Cambodia to reduce crimes targeting its citizens.