The workshop "IDA-Korea Workshop on Innovation and Digital Technology in the Post Pandemic World" was held on Nov. 5 at the Shilla Seoul hotel, jointly hosted by the World Bank Group's Korea Office, the International Development Association and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. (World Bank Group's Korea Office)

By Kim Hyelin and Lee Hana

The World Bank Group (WBG) has hosted its first offline international workshop in Korea since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dubbed the "IDA-Korea Workshop on Innovation and Digital Technology in the Post Pandemic World," the event was held on Nov. 5 at the Shilla Seoul hotel, and was jointly hosted by the WBG Korea Office, the International Development Association (IDA) and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The last in-person event hosted by the group was from Feb. 18-20, when it hosted Korea Innovation Week at World Bank headquarters in Washington. The bank selected Korea as the venue for last week's workshop in consideration of the country's quarantine success.

The attendees were ambassadors from countries like Paraguay, Colombia and Honduras and Korean experts on digital technology and innovation. They discussed the Korean New Deal, innovation and development challenges faced by IDA recipient countries, and joint projects between Korea and the group.

Deputy Economy and Finance Minister Yoon Taesik said, "We will invest USD 30 million over the next three years in the WBG Korea Office, the group's innovation hub, to help the world economy recover through the activation of innovative technology."

Victoria Kwakwa, the World Bank's vice president for the East Asia and Pacific region, said, "We have plans to transform the WBG's Korea Office into a hub for innovative technology that supports sustainable development. We are thankful to the Korean government for funding this initiative."

Akihiko Nishio, the bank's vice president of development finance, said, "Korea is leading the innovative tech agenda for the international community. Korea serves as a model case for low-income countries."

The ministry added, "We will continue sharing our policy toward the post-pandemic world and related preparation with international financial institutions and seek collaborative ways to increase global policy cooperation."

kimhyelin211@korea.kr