Hanyang University (HU), a renowned technical and engineering university in South Korea, intends to open a branch campus in Negeri Sembilan.

Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan said, in the event it became a reality, it would be the first South Korean university to open a branch campus in a foreign country.

"Bringing HU here is the effort of the Korean Institution Graduates Alumni (Agiko) in Malaysia. On behalf of Negeri Sembilan, I welcome the intention and will provide the necessary assistance and support to see the vision become a reality.

"If the project comes true, I am confident HU will bring enormous benefits and advantages to our country, considering the growing demand for technical and engineering studies, and (the fact that) we lack trained manpower in the field.

"As such, the government is making its emphasis in the field to meet the demand of such trained work force to support the industrial sector of the country," he told a media conference in Seremban today.

Earlier, Mohamad held a meeting with an HU delegation led by its president, Duck-Ho Lim, and vice-president Ki-Jeong Lee. Also present were members of Agiko led by its president, Mohd Basir Daud.

He said the areas identified for the campus were in Enstek and Sendayan.

"Today, the delegation will see the site for themselves and they will also meet Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon," he said.

Produce graduates for industrial sector     

Meanwhile, Lim, who is visiting Malaysia for the first time, said the selection to open a branch campus in Negeri Sembilan was based on several factors, including the location of several Korean companies such as Samsung, in the state.

He said HU's intention was based on the need to produce graduates for the industrial sector of the country.

"HU is one of the best and popular South Korean universities. HU was founded in 1939 and began with studies in engineering. Currently, there are 37,000 students, including those from foreign countries, undergoing various courses at its two campuses in South Korea.

"Since 1984 to date, 187 Malaysian students have graduated from HU and there are now 50 Malaysians studying in the university.

"According to our plan, we expect the HU campus in Negeri Sembilan to be completed by September 2014," he said through an interpreter.

- Bernama