1. Heads of overseas diplomatic missions visited the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the government agency that implements grant- aid prograrms overseas, on May 21. During the visit, they joined a meeting on the ROK’s official development assistance (ODA) policy and explored ways to conduct development cooperation in an exemplary and integrated way in a bid to realize the Park Geun-hye government’s vision to usher in an era of happiness for the global community.

2. The meeting carried significance in that it served as an opportunity for the mission heads who supervise ODA projects in 38 developing regions to: discuss with KOICA ways to implement its overseas aid system in a more integrated and effective manner; seriously explore ways to contribute to the eradication of poverty in ODA recipient countries; and contemplate ways to enhance the ROK’s international standing.

3. In the meeting, the participants had extensive discussion on current relevant issues and shared up-to-date information and experience on effective ways of conducting ODA projects. Included in the agenda were ODA projects aimed at eradicating poverty in the rural areas of developing countries where more than 70% of the poor reside, an example of which is Saemaul Undong (new village movement) that draws keen attention as a rural development project; vitalizing KOICA’s Development Experience Exchange Partnership (DEEP) to share the ROK’s development experience with developing countries; expanding the Triangular Cooperation, where the ROK effectively shares its development experience by increasing cooperation with emerging countries; and making full use of the Development Alliance Korea to bolster cooperation with the private sector, including companies, academia and NGOs.

4. Building upon the outcome of the aforementioned visit to and meeting at KOICA, the Foreign Ministry, overseeing the ROK’s grant aid programs, will map out a concrete blueprint for cooperation that will help conduct ODA projects in an integrated and effective manner.

                Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation