KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 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 Wednesday. The four-day conference, being held from February 11 to 14 at Hotel Hyatt Centric, Soaltee Mode, marks the first-ever IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) conference organized in Nepal. It is jointly organized by Research and Innovation Center Nepal (RICON) and Nepal Engineering College, affiliated with Pokhara University, with technical sponsorship from the IEEE Nepal Chapter and IEEE Photonics Society Nanjing Chapter. The event is co-organized by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Graduate School of Global Digital Innovation (GDI). More than 200 national and international researchers, academicians, innovators and students are participating in the conference. Addressing the ceremony as chief guest, Ambassador Park described ICTP 2026 as a 'proud and significant moment for Nepal's scientific and academic community.' He congratulated Conference Chair Prof. Bikash Nakarmi, Prof. Dr. Seung Hun Han, Dean of KAIST GDI, and the organizing committee for convening a global platform for academic dialogue and collaboration. He underscored the significance of hosting ICTP 2026 alongside the Global Digital Innovation & Impact Workshop, supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea, noting that it reflects the expanding partnership between Nepal and Korea in science, technology and digital innovation. The Ambassador said the ICT sector remains a priority area of bilateral cooperation. Through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Korean government has been assisting Nepal in strengthening ICT infrastructure and digital capacity. Among the major initiatives supported by Korea is the establishment of the Government Integrated Data Center (GIDC) in Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, which serves as the primary data center of the Government of Nepal. In addition, the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Hetauda functions as a backup system to minimize data loss from natural or human-induced disasters. The Korean government is also supporting the establishment of a modern Cyber Bureau for Nepal Police under a USD 8 million KOICA grant. The facility aims to enhance digital forensic capabilities and address cybercrime, and is expected to become operational by the end of 2026. Encouraging young researchers and students, Ambassador Park emphasized the transformative potential of ICT, photonics, artificial intelligence and digital governance. He reaffirmed Korea's commitment to sharing its development experience and strengthening cooperation with Nepal in digital transformation and innovation-driven development.