▲ Carsten Staur, chair of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (OECD DAC), the world s governing body for ODA The OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), an international forum of 33 major donor countries, plays a central role in defining global standards for aid and cooperation. It monitors ODA, conducts peer reviews of member countries, and works to enhance the impact of development finance. Korea joined the DAC in 2010, marking its formal transition from recipient to donor. Carsten Staur, a Danish diplomat with decades of experience in multilateral cooperation, has chaired the DAC since March 2023. During his visit to Seoul to attend the inaugural Global Development Partnership Week, a major event co-hosted by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from September 21 to October 3, he shared his thoughts on the challenges and responsibilities facing global donors today and on Korea s evolving role within that community. Q Global demand for development finance is rising rapidly amid climate change, regional conflicts, and health crises. At the same time, some donor countries are cutting back on their ODA budgets. How do you view this growing gap between global needs and available resources, and what steps can be taken to address it? The widening gap between global needs and available development finance is concerning. Reversing this downward trend will not be easy, but it is necessary. Increasing assistance is a tall order for donors, and we know well the fiscal and political pressures they are facing. In Europe, there is significant pressure to strengthen defense capabilities to counter Russian aggression against Ukraine and the broader threat to NATO. Many countries also need to stabilize their fiscal situations by raising tax revenues and reducing expenditures. These are legitimate reasons why governments are becoming more cautious about spending in many areas, including ODA. It is not the only budget being cut; many others are also being reduced. However, governments need to take a broader view. Cutting ODA also means cutting vital investments in our shared global future. Climate change, for example, does not disappear because of what Russia does in Ukraine. It is with us and will remain with us. The sooner we correct our course, the better it will be, and the cheaper it will be in the long run. There is overwhelming evidence that we need climate action and that governments must engage, including through climate assistance that helps countries address both adaptation and mitigation challenges. Countries need to double down on these efforts. Another challenge is poverty and inequality. Both are increasing in many countries. Inequality is rising within and between nations, and the number of people living in poverty is growing. These are concerning trends that require action. Governments must take these global, long-term challenges seriously and invest in addressing them. The sooner and the more decisively they act, particularly in supporting the poorest and most vulnerable countries, the easier it will be for the world to manage the problems ahead. Governments are making cuts for understandable reasons, but they should not. Short-term reductions come with long-term costs. Q What principles or strategies should DAC members prioritize to ensure that development finance remains sustainable and predictable? An informed discussion in donor countries is essential to understand how different issues are interrelated, why investment in development cooperation is necessary, why it must be done now, and why it needs to be strengthened. This is one of the most important conversations we need to have. Prioritizing investments in development cooperation is another crucial task. The focus should remain on the poorest, most vulnerable, and most fragile countries, including small island states and least developed countries. These nations rely heavily on ODA because they lack significant export revenues or foreign investment. Much of their progress in health, education, and human capital depends on ODA, and that must continue to be a key priority. Mobilizing additional finance is also critical. Blended finance is still relatively new, but it is becoming increasingly important because it allows a limited amount of ODA to leverage additional capital. We need to raise more capital through such approaches to meet growing global needs. There is also much we can do to improve how we manage ODA. The aid effectiveness agenda remains central in this regard. Every dollar, every euro, every Swiss franc, and every won must be spent as effectively as possible. This requires constant awareness of where the challenges to aid effectiveness lie and a continued effort to address them. *Blended Finance : a financial structure that combines public resources, such as ODA, with private capital to achieve development objectives. Q How can we ensure that development assistance is used effectively? Fragmentation is one of the clearest challenges to development effectiveness, and the OECD has extensive data to demonstrate this. Aid is being spread across more countries, often in smaller amounts, less strategically, and with a stronger focus on projects rather than programs. We also see a lack of coordination among donors and insufficient alignment with the priorities of partner countries. These issues are described clearly in various OECD publications and analyses, all of which point to one conclusion: we can do better. We can make ODA more effective from the donor perspective. Another important element is the need for stronger collaboration. This involves not only traditional donors that are members of the DAC, such as Korea, the European Union, the United States, Canada, and Australia, but also South South providers and other non-traditional partners. These include countries in Latin America and Southeast Asia, such as Thailand and Indonesia, as well as several countries in the Arab world and Turkey, all of which play major roles in development cooperation. We need to bring all these actors together, learn from each other, and work in a coordinated and collaborative way to ensure that we can deliver the best possible development cooperation for the benefit of the countries and populations we aim to support. ▲ The poorer and more fragile a country is, the quicker and more decisive our support must be, because this makes global challenges easier to manage. said Carsten Staur, chair of the OECD DAC. Q Korea is often cited as a successful story of becoming an aid donor from a recipient in the past. How can it share its lessons with other countries seeking to strengthen their development programs? Korea can lead simply by being what it is. I have been impressed by the remarkable transformation the country has undergone. I still remember being in New York when Ban Ki-moon was Secretary-General of the United Nations. He often spoke about his childhood in Korea in the 1950s and 1960s, when the country was still developing, like many others at the time. Since then, Korea has achieved extraordinary progress. It has built a vibrant and dynamic economy with a high GNI per capita and strong performance across sectors. This trajectory over the past decades stands as a powerful example. Korea, like Singapore and a few others, has shown that it is possible to build a strong, outward-looking, and expanding economy that benefits the population as a whole. Of course, every country faces its own challenges. In the case of climate change, Korea is deeply engaged in the green transition and in addressing climate-related issues, not least because it faces similar challenges at home. This is a form of learning by doing, an iterative process in which national experiences become sources of insight and inspiration for development cooperation. Korea is therefore a credible example of how experience and policy can reinforce each other in practice. It is not just about words or statistics but about demonstrating that progress is achievable when vision and systems work together. Korea is now one of the major economies in the world, and with that status comes responsibility. As a member of the G20, Korea has an important role to play on the international stage, setting trends and demonstrating leadership in the global community. I hope Korea will continue to strengthen and sustain its leadership role in global affairs, supported by an economy that provides a solid foundation for international engagement. This applies not only within Asia but also across other regions, where stronger Korean leadership, presence, and participation in international development cooperation would be very welcome. Peer reviews have shown that Korea could do more on the multilateral front, working with development banks, the UN system, and other international organizations. This is an area where Korea can extend its reach and influence further by deepening engagement with multilateral partners, not only through bilateral efforts but also by strengthening the multilateral dimension of its cooperation program. Q As a DAC member, Korea carries both responsibilities and expectations. What role do you see Korea and its ODA agency, KOICA, playing in shaping the future of international development finance? I hope that Korea will continue to be one of the significant donors and active members of the DAC, contributing to the development of standards and normative iframeworks that guide international development cooperation. Together, we must keep improving how we work and how we measure our collective impact. Like other major donors, Korea carries an important responsibility that comes with its position as a leading contributor. It is expected to take an active role in shaping the norms, standards, and reporting practices that strengthen global development cooperation. I encourage Korea to fulfill that responsibility by engaging proactively in this shared effort to enhance the effectiveness and accountability of development finance. Q The Seoul ODA International Conference was held during the Global Development Partnership Week, bringing together donors, partner countries, and experts to discuss development cooperation. The Busan Global Partnership Forum was also part of the week s events. What key outcomes or messages do you hope will come out of them? This conference reminds me of the Roman god Janus, with two faces looking in different directions. There are two dimensions to its significance, much like two sides of a coin. One side is domestic. I hope that the investment you are making during these days of discussion on the development agenda will resonate in public debate and in the media. It should serve as a catalyst for broader conversation about why development cooperation matters, why Korea should remain committed to it, and why deeper engagement is needed. That domestic discussion, in itself, is an important outcome of hosting an event like this. The other side is international. Korea has made a strong effort to bring partners together not only donors but also partner countries. Tomorrow, I will be meeting participants from Latin America and Africa. The fact that DAC members, other providers, and partner nations are all here together is significant. We need a future model of development cooperation that is more inclusive and built on genuine partnerships between donors, providers, and partner countries. The wide range of participants at this event sends a clear signal that Korea is taking an active role in promoting the idea that development cooperation must be a shared effort. It should be a partnership between those who provide financial resources and technical expertise, and those who align that support with their own priorities and ambitions. Q You mentioned that you will be meeting with partners from Latin America, Africa, and possibly Southeast Asia. What topics will you be discussing with them? The DAC s ongoing review of its own role is one of our main priorities at the moment. As a committee, we serve as the custodians of ODA, defining what counts as ODA and what does not, and providing guidelines on what constitutes good development cooperation. In that sense, we play a role in shaping ODA and ensuring that it remains an effective instrument for development cooperation. This has been an ongoing process for many years. We have continuously worked to improve how ODA operates and how it interacts with other forms of development finance. The new review, which we launched in Seville, aims to take a deeper look at ODA s role today. One focus area is data and statistics. We want to assess what we currently provide and explore how we can go further for instance, by adding more forward-looking analysis and projections rather than relying only on retrospective data. The goal is to better understand what is happening now and what might happen in the near future, drawing on the insights and inputs of our members. Another important issue is how we can make better use of the data and analysis we already have. In the past, much of our work has focused on what donors need. Going forward, we also want to listen more closely to our partners to understand what they need from our data and analysis, and how we can make it more relevant and useful for them. We are also examining how to place ODA in a broader context. ODA can act as a catalyst and an enabler it sets processes in motion. It can mobilize private finance, support domestic resource mobilization, and stimulate wider cooperation beyond ODA itself. We are exploring how ODA interacts with other financial flows such as remittances, which globally exceed ODA in volume. The question is how ODA can help make remittances a more effective source of income and a stronger driver of development. The same applies to private finance. Blended finance allows ODA to unlock greater private investment than would otherwise occur. The question for us is whether we can do more and do it better. Another major topic is the overall trajectory of ODA. In 2023, global ODA reached $213 billion, but we are now seeing signs of decline. As I mentioned in my speech today, if 2023 was the peak, projections for 2024 to 2027 show a sharp drop. In the worst-case scenario, ODA could fall by almost 30 percent. We have already seen a decrease of about 7 to 9 percent from 2023 to 2024, and we expect a further drop of between 11 and 20 percent by 2027. This is a major challenge. We need to turn this around. This situation is not acceptable given the scale of global problems we face. We must find ways to persuade our members and other providers to increase their ODA again. That will require sound analysis, political leadership, and a shared understanding that ODA is not charity. It is, of course, an expression of empathy and solidarity, but it is also a strategic investment. ODA plays a vital role in international cooperation because it creates the space for many other forms of collaboration to happen. ▲ Carsten Staur, chair of the OECD DAC, noted that cutting ODA resources is equivalent to reducing essential investments in our shared future. Q ODA is sometimes perceived negatively at home, seen as taxpayers money being sent abroad. How can governments and donors communicate the value of development cooperation to their citizens and build public support? Communicating the value of ODA requires analysis that goes beyond simply saying we invest in a project and that it helps a certain number of people overcome illness or poverty. That is, of course, a vital part of ODA, ensuring that it is used wisely and delivers tangible results and impact. But we must also help citizens understand that ODA contributes to addressing the global challenges we all face, such as climate change, growing insecurity, and pandemics. Take the example of COVID-19. Five years ago, the world was hit by a pandemic that exposed weaknesses in our systems of preparedness and response. In just a few weeks, a new report will evaluate the global COVID-19 response. We must learn from what worked and what did not. The next pandemic will come, and it is estimated that there is a one to two percent risk every year of facing another event like COVID-19. We cannot afford to be unprepared again. ODA can play a critical role in building a global system of preparedness and response that allows international collaboration in health to be far more effective than it was five years ago. Technology is another area where ODA can contribute. We need a serious discussion on how artificial intelligence and data-driven technologies can serve humanity rather than dominate it. While ODA alone cannot address this issue, how we integrate AI and digital innovation into development cooperation can make a meaningful difference in shaping technology for human progress. Another challenge is the global rise of autocracy. In many parts of the world, we see the strengthening of authoritarian systems at the expense of democratic participation, particularly among those already left behind by development. This is not a positive direction. Addressing it requires access to data, facts, and open, fact-based public discussion. We also face growing risks as social media increasingly replaces public-interest media as a source of information. There is an urgent need to support independent, fact-based journalism, especially in developing countries. ODA can help in this area by supporting initiatives through organizations like UNESCO to establish and maintain public-interest media that serve the public good. ODA can make a difference across many areas, but its deeper value lies in helping to shape global development in a positive and cooperative direction. Q In the United States, policies do not necessarily support expanding the ODA budget. Many European countries are increasing their defense budgets while cutting other expenditures. Do you find it increasingly difficult to persuade partners in such an environment? On the United States, we are still in a wait-and-see situation. It is difficult to say where things will ultimately end up. What is clear is that the government decided early on to abolish USAID and transfer many of its functions to the State Department. There is a great deal happening in Washington, but so far, no one knows what the final outcome will be. It is therefore too early to draw firm conclusions about the direction of U.S. development policy. On the European side, it is difficult to maintain a focus on global and long-term priorities when every day brings urgent local and short-term pressures. The Russian aggression against Ukraine and the growing threat it poses to NATO and several European countries are extremely serious, and the need to increase defense spending is clear. That is not my view as DAC Chair, as I do not have positions on defense as such, but as a European citizen, I can easily see why this increase is necessary. At the same time, we need to have an informed discussion about how this should not be seen as an either-or choice. It must be a both-and. Europe cannot and should not abandon its long-term global aspirations because it faces a short-term, though decisive, regional threat from Russia. We must be able to do both, strengthening our defense while continuing to address global challenges. If we focus only on defending our own interests in the European theater, we risk missing the opportunity to deal with global problems in time. And if we wait too long, it will become far more difficult and costly to respond to the challenges the world faces. We need to act fairly quickly to set in motion the measures that will allow us to confront both the regional and global threats that are already upon us.

• 2025.11.27
• 12min READ

▲ Scene from the Uganda Seed Value Chain Capacity Building for Key Vegetable Crops currently underway by the KOICA Uganda Office. Researchers are inspecting the growth of various crops under breeding, with a Korean-style greenhouse visible in the background. Where is Uganda?Africa is over 10,000 kilometers away from Korea. Exchanges of people and trade are limited. From January to July 2025, Korea's exports to Africa totaled 5.6 billion USD, accounting for only 1.4% of total exports. The number of visitors to Africa is also far lower compared to Asia, the Americas, or Europe. When I was assigned to KOICA Uganda Office in July 2022, the first reaction from people around me was, Where is that? Uganda was so unfamiliar that most people barely understood even when I explained that the waters originating from Lake Victoria in Uganda flow all the way to Egypt as the Nile River. Even I knew very little about Uganda before my assignment.KOICA has 16 offices in Africa, representing 34% about one-third of its total 47 overseas offices. This highlights Africa s strategic importance in KOICA s international development work. This is perhaps unsurprising, as 32 of the 44 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) designated by the United Nations are located in Africa. In particular, Uganda, classified as an LDC, has the highest malaria mortality rate in the world and ranks first in Africa in terms of refugees, with about 1.6 million people.Over 70% of Uganda's economically active population is engaged in agriculture. The average annual income per person is about 1,000 USD, roughly 1.4 million Korean won, meaning the monthly income is just over 100,000 won. Uganda is called the "Pearl of Africa," highlighting its beauty, yet the nickname also reflects that the country remains underdeveloped. Among jewels, only pearls are produced by living creatures, specifically oysters. Unlike gold, silver, or diamonds, pearls are not crafted or processed by humans. From one perspective, this signifies that they remain untouched by human hands. On the flip side, it implies that their potential is unrefined, remaining in a raw, natural state. ▲ Scene showing Uganda s climate and soil conditions. Uganda offers optimal conditions for agriculture, with a stable year-round temperature of around 24℃, ample sunlight, sufficient rainfall, and fertile soil. Proper distribution of quality seeds is expected to significantly boost the incomes of those engaged in farming. First development of Uganda s indigenous vegetable seedsUganda's economy heavily depends on agriculture, but agricultural technology and farming methods are very underdeveloped. In particular, crop breeding has been almost neglected. Crop breeding refers to improving plant varieties to increase both yield and quality. Good harvests are difficult to achieve with poor-quality seeds. Unfortunately, most farmers in Uganda do not distinguish between seed types. For example, when planting sweet potatoes, they often do so without knowing whether they are sowing orange-fleshed or chestnut-flavored varieties. Since each seed requires different cultivation methods, not knowing the seed type makes proper farming difficult. Moreover, not knowing what kind of sweet potato will grow prevents quality control, making it impossible to sell products at the appropriate price. This is one of the reasons why the income of Ugandan farmers remains low. Due to the lack of proper crop breeding, high-quality indigenous seeds are rare, and imported seeds are expensive. For Ugandan farmers, these costly imported seeds are unaffordable, leaving them with no choice but to plant whatever seeds are available.Uganda, in particular, lacks indigenous vegetable seeds. To address this, the KOICA Uganda Office launched the "Uganda Seed Value Chain Capacity Building for Key Vegetable Crops" in 2022. The project aims to develop and distribute high-quality indigenous vegetable seeds through KOICA initiatives to boost farmers incomes, focusing on staple crops with strong daily demand, such as tomatoes, pumpkins, onions, and peppers.The KOICA Uganda Office has provided large-scale Korean-style greenhouses, tractors, and breeding equipment, and dispatched Korean experts to conduct breeding training. Ugandan researchers are also invited to Korea annually for advanced training. Once completed, the project will register Uganda s first indigenous vegetable seeds, securing their intellectual property rights. Once the seeds are distributed, farmers incomes are expected to rise, and there will also be potential for exports. Through breeding research and the registration of new varieties, Ugandan experts skills are likewise expected to reach a global standard.Not everything went smoothly. When importing greenhouse materials such as pipes and vinyl from Korea, conflicts arose over customs procedures and cost responsibilities (there was no dispute about the quality of the Korean materials). It was difficult to understand why there was no cooperation in importing greenhouse materials for their benefit. Korea once faced similar challenges, so it is understandable. However, since large-scale ODA projects are funded by the Korean government budget, it was frustrating when projects were delayed over relatively minor customs fees. In reality, the success or failure of ODA projects depends as much on how faithfully the partner country fulfills its responsibilities as it does on the Korean side s diligent execution of its duties.▲ Participants at the KOICA Alumni Association Uganda hosted by the KOICA Uganda Office in October 2024 Fortunately, the "Uganda Seed Value Chain Capacity Building for Key Vegetable Crops" overcame various challenges by partnering with a strong collaborator, Uganda's National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO). Most importantly, tangible breeding results began to emerge, leading to noticeable changes among Ugandan researchers. Breeding involves repeatedly verifying whether the unique traits of seeds are properly expressed over multiple seasons. As the seasons progressed, new candidates for superior seeds accumulated, and researchers who had previously believed that vegetable seed breeding was difficult due to limited budget and equipment began to gain confidence that it was indeed possible. Thanks to the latest equipment provided by Korea, researchers were able to conduct proper testing and research, which motivated some to persevere despite the lack of immediate financial gain. Some even invested their own money, albeit modestly, to improve greenhouse soil in hopes of contributing to the project s success a rare occurrence in Uganda.It may be a stretch to say that Uganda changed dramatically during the three years I worked there, from 2022 to 2025. Much may remain the same for years to come. However, signs of change were visible, such as the progress among breeding researchers. Korea also once had a per capita GDP of about 1,000 USD, similar to Uganda s current level around 1977 1978. You may refer to archival footage to see what life was like then. It is hard to say that the impoverished and starving conditions of Korea s past were better than today s Uganda. Those were also times when democracy was stifled. Yet Korea has become an economic powerhouse with a GDP of 36,000 USD and a democratic nation. If Korea could achieve this, isn t it possible for Uganda as well?I hope Uganda grows as much as Korea has. I wish for not only increased income but also progress in democracy and improvements in social conditions. I hope people can pursue their dreams without fearing death from mosquito-borne diseases or losing their homes as refugees. I also hope KOICA s development cooperation projects can play a significant role in this process. I believe Korea has both the capacity and the willingness to provide such support.

• 2025.11.27
• 12min READ

November is a meaningful month that includes Development Cooperation Day. Reflecting on its significance, KOICA is once again carrying out a variety of activities in the field to put the value of development cooperation into practice. Through the relaunched GOIKHA*(KOICA) campaign, KOICA delivered a message that presents development cooperation as a source of national pride and joy, and also held the Climate AI Forum to discuss climate action and the use of technology. KOICA s AI Committee, established to promote AX and the AI Strategy for All, was also officially launched. In addition, KOICA shares news about the K-Volunteer Impact Week, which expands opportunities for participation in overseas volunteering, along with the introduction of new friends of KOICA s communication character, the Peace Fairy PeKO. *GOIKHA: a phonetic rendering of KOICA in Korean 📰 NEWS 1. 2025 KOICA brand campaign: KOICA, It s My Pleasure launched ▲ Poster for KOICA's newly launched nationwide brand campaign this year, 'GOIKHA(KOICA), It s my pleasure' KOICA has launched its second official branding campaign, 'KOICA, It s my pleasure,' following last year. Last year s motto, Thank you, KOICA, conveyed the message that the people are the main force behind ODA, and this year s campaign further expresses that ODA is the source of joy and pride for the people.The campaign runs until December, featuring online and offline advertisements, a series of videos highlighting five GOIKHA(KOICA) individuals active in various fields, and a public participation event.The first teaser video released by KOICA on its official social media channels garnered over 210,000 views in just over a week, receiving enthusiastic attention. Subsequently, a series of brand films was released, featuring five representative 'GOIKHA' individuals active in various fields, including model Jung Hyuk, former WFK volunteer turned star instructor YIDO, an 80-year-old senior volunteer, a social entrepreneur, and an NGO activist among KOICA supporters, who demonstrate how they change the world in their own unique ways. If you want to share a 'GOIKHA mement' that connects the most authentic self-development to the most authentic development cooperation, anyone can participate in the event through the QR code in the image below or via the following link. I'm a Goikha Too! Event participation page link:👉 https://linktr.ee/officialkoica?utm_source=linktree_profile_share 📰 NEWS 2. 2025 KOICA Climate AI Forum Held ▲ Key figures attending the 2025 KOICA Climate AI Forum are posing for a commemorative photo. Amid climate change and technological innovation emerging as key agendas in the international community, KOICA held the 2025 KOICA Climate AI Forum at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul on November 24. The event was attended by CHANG Won Sam, KOICA President, and about 200 domestic and international experts from GGGI, UNEP, CTCN, and other organizations, who discussed global climate action and the use of AI in development cooperation.In the first part, KOICA introduced the first-year achievements of the AI4ClimateAction jointly promoted with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Judges of the AICA Awards, an international AI climate technology competition for developing countries, and the winning team from Korea s Integrated Watershed Management Institute shared their experiences from the competition. In the second part, experts from various fields delivered presentations and engaged in discussions on the topics of The Future of AI Technology for Climate Action and K-AI for All: Korea s Path to Becoming a Top Three AI Powerhouse. Particularly attention was drawn to various ways and ideas on how ODA can contribute, including AI infrastructure development and capacity building in developing countries, to help Korea become the AI capital of the Asia-Pacific region. 📰 NEWS 3. KOICA Officially Launches AI Committee Establishes Integrated AI Strategy ▲ Participants took a commemorative photo at the KOICA AI Committee Launch Ceremony held in the International Conference Room of the KOICA International Cooperation Center. KOICA is accelerating the advancement of AX (AI Transformation) at the institutional level by establishing an AI promotion organization within the agency, in line with the Korean government s AI Grand Transformation strategy, and by intensifying efforts to strengthen AI utilization capabilities among its employees. On October 29, KOICA held the launch ceremony of the AI Committee at its headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, which will serve as the organization s AI control tower. At the first meeting, the KOICA Mid- to Long-Term AI Strategy was reviewed.The KOICA mid- to long-term AI strategy includes a plan to broadly apply the AI for All strategy to K-ODA. KOICA has established four core values in its AI strategy: building a foundation for a win-win AI transformation, contributing to Korean-style AI globally, strengthening AI capabilities in developing countries, and pioneering advanced AX for work efficiency. The agency plans to implement this strategy by creating a dedicated AI organization and by appointing a Chief AI Officer (CAIO). 📰 NEWS 4. Hosting of K-Volunteer Impact Weeks ▲ The SP R&A team, which achieved outstanding results at the KOICA Return Program performance-sharing meeting held at the KOICA Global Talent Development Institute in Seoul, poses for a commemorative photo after receiving the Grand Prize for Startup Excellence. KOICA is operating K-Volunteer Impact Weeks under the theme of overseas volunteering until December, conducting public participation events. On November 7 8, at Resone Hongdae in Seoul, the regular briefing session for the second half of the 2025 overseas volunteer group was held under the concept of Kostaurant - Volunteer's Table. Through various programs such as consulting, hands-on experiences, and tasting, it attracted high interest from the youth demographic. On the 7th, at the KOICA Global Human Resources Education Center in Seoul, a Return Program performance-sharing was held where six teams presented their results, and the Veranda team, which showcased a startup idea using pottery, won the grand prize. On the 14th, at KOICA headquarters in Seongnam, the regular consultative meeting of the implementing agencies of the World Friends Korea (WFK) volunteer group was held, where eight organizations discussed medium- to long-term operational directions. On the 15th, a performance-sharing meeting titled From KOICA to the World was held at the KOICA Global Human Resources Education Center in Seoul, attended by returned volunteers and WFK scholarship holders.The K-Volunteer Impact Weeks culminates in December with The 20th Korea Overseas Volunteers Awards Ceremony held at KOICA headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do. A total of nine individuals will be awarded this year, including the Presidential Citation, the Prime Minister s Citation, and the KOICA President s Citation. Among the recipients of the Presidential and Prime Minister s Citations, one will also receive the Lee Tae-seok Award.📰 NEWS 5. Full reveal of the institution's communication characters PeKO Friends ▲ PeKO Friends unveiled by KOICA on November 7On November 7, KOICA officially unveiled the expanded version of its communication character PeKO as five friends, named PeKO Friends, through its official SNS channels, including YouTube and Instagram. PeKO Friends embody KOICA s five core values and the foundation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Peace, People, Prosperity, Planet, and Partnership and convey them through engaging stories. PeKO, Ppoyong, Patchi, Purih, Possle are friendly, cute characters that serve as a communication bridge to reach more people with KOICA s mission of contributing to the common prosperity of humanity and promoting world peace through inclusive and mutually beneficial development cooperation.On November 24, the day before Development Cooperation Day, KOICA held a limited-time event, distributing PeKO Friends KakaoTalk emoticons free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. KOICA plans to utilize PeKO Friends in various forms both online and offline in the future, including videos, webtoons, blogs, printed materials, sculptures, office supplies, and souvenirs. KOICA also plans to allow external organizations and the general public to use PeKO Friends free of charge for various non-commercial purposes, such as educational materials, murals and drawings, fairy tales, and digital goods.

• 2025.11.27
• 12min READ