▲ Bulod Health Center in the Philippines established by KOICA and World Vision to provide medical services to migrants affected by Typhoon Haiyan On September 22, 2024, the Summit of the Future was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA, where the Compact for the Future and the Declaration of Future Generations were una-nimously adopted. Through this agreement and declaration, the United Nations has made a commitment that countries must guarantee the participation of future generations, ensuring that their opinions and rights are actively reflected in the national policy-making process. The UN s commitment to future generations marks a significant shift to overcome the harsh realities faced by future generations around the world and to emphasize their role in the sustainable development of global society. The future-oriented expectation that a sustainable future for humanity comes from future generations should lead to systematic support, enabling future generations to actively participate in the implementation process of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and various multilateral cooperation platforms in global society. Complex crises and the vulnerability of future generations Future generations are more easily exposed to crisis situations than the older generation, and their vulnerability is bound to be greater. The biggest victims of complex crises, such as the health crisis of COVID-19, the climate crisis of global warming, and the Russia-Ukraine war, are not the older generation but the future generations. Domestic obstacles such as poverty, inequality, and corruption, which arise in conjunction with complex crises, slow down the resilience of society and ultimately increase the burden that future generations must bear alone. Therefore, the independent participation and action of future generations must be ensured in the challenges and responses that occur in the era of complex crises, as well as in the opportunities and threats inherent in the sustainable development of global society. Rather than hiding vulnerabilities that will arise in the future from future generations, the older generation must invite future generations into global society as partners in finding solutions together. Future generations, the main agents of future social change According to the 2023 Global Hunger Index published by Concern Worldwide in Ireland, the impact of the current food system on future generations is so great that future generations must take the initiative to transform the current and future food systems. There is a need for interest in the active participation of future generations, such as publicizing the efforts necessary to build a sustainable food system for global society and urging global attention. It is necessary to institutionally ensure that future generations can participate in the implementation of all currently operating sustainable development goals, not only for the issue of food sovereignty but also for the overall change in future society. As a kind of cross-cutting agenda, efforts are needed to emphasize and encourage the participation of future generations for future change. ▲ KOICA established an alternative education center in Tacloban. Philippines to help out-of-school girls continue their education.KOICA established an alternative education center in Tacloban. Philippines to help out-of-school girls continue their education. Present support for future governance reforms The poor governance system currently experienced by future generations has failed to address the problem of hunger and sustainably provide public goods, resulting in a vicious cycle of learning flawed systems and passing them down to subsequent generations. Governance reform is not a problem that can be solved in the short term, so a mid- to long-term perspective is needed. For this reason, future generations must become key leaders in the policy process, examining the governance cycle from planning to implementation and evaluation of sustainable development at the current stage. To achieve this, investments must be made in developing the capabilities of future generations in accordance with the local social, cultural, and ecological environment. The government must equally provide education and technology to future generations to strengthen their capacity for growth and development, and reflect the opinions of future generations in governance programs and policy-making processes. Yet in vulnerable countries, future generations are not guaranteed even the most basic right to food, let alone the basic right to education. Ultimately, the most urgent efforts needed to transform future governance must begin with global humanitarian support for future generations in vulnerable countries. Voluntary policy participation of future generationsSo what practical support can governments provide to recognize future generations of children and youth as the leaders of tomorrow, and to encourage them to actively participate in shaping the policies that affect their future? As the UN Declaration on Future Generations clearly emphasizes, it is about institutionalizing the meaningful participation of future generations, the future leaders, in the overall policy and decision-making process related to sustainable development. It is essential that governments and public institutions provide a platform to communicate with future generations and listen to their perspectives, concerns and ideas. In many countries, it has already been witnessed that future generations take the lead in tackling climate change, building a sustainable economy, protecting democracy, and demanding social justice and good governance, in order to meet the major challenges of the present and the future. Therefore, it should be a natural step to involve future generations and engage in discussions with them from the very beginning of government policies for sustainable development to increase synergy effects. Sustainable global development, the importance of supporting future generations Every year, the G20 Summit is accompanied by the Y20 Summit, organized by the youth of the future generation. The Y20 Summit, attended by the future generations of each member country, concludes with the announcement of the Y20 Communique as the final result. The Y20 Communique provides direction on the efforts needed globally to support future generations and is also used as an important reference for the G20 Summit. The future generation, Y20, presents comprehensive policy recommendations to the older generation, G20, urging them to invest in quality education, including digital literacy, to bridge the digital divide, harness science and strategic foresight, encourage a shift to long-term thinking and evidence-based decision-making, address transnational challenges such as climate change and economic instability, and ensure a safe world for future generations. These recommendations from future generations will ensure that multilateral cooperation at the global level, including the United Nations, integrates policies and actions for future generations in the mid- to long-term, providing an important opportunity to create a future ecosystem where future generations can participate as leading subjects in the sustainable development of global society.

2025.02.07

▲ Group photo from the graduation ceremony at LG-KOICA Hope TVET College, celebrating its 8th anniversary We can t wait to see what the future holds! On August 24 (local time), the 10th anniversary and 8th graduation ceremonies of LG-KOICA Hope TVET College (hereinafter referred to as Hope TVET College) were held in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Hope TVET College is a two-year IT technology education institution established by KOICA and LG Electronics in 2014. It is a free educational facility that provides education, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities to local youth who wish to pursue a career in the IT field. All 83 graduates of 2024 who gathered that day have already chosen to pursue careers in the IT field through employment or entrepreneurship. The graduates who attended the event expressed their joy, saying, The future, once daunting, is now beginning to take concrete shape. Bemenet Tedes (21), a graduate who shared that his goal was to become a software program developer, said, Graduating from here is something I am very proud of, and I will continue to progress without forgetting the support of my teachers and friends, expressing his love for his alma mater and sharing his determination for the future. ▲ (From left) Cho Han-Deog, Country Director of the KOICA Ethiopia Office; Kim Yong-woo, President of World Together; Jung Kang, Korean Ambassador to Ethiopia; Solomon Soka, State Minister for Labour and Skills; Lee Il-hwan, LG Electronics Regional Representative for the Middle East and Africa; and Tariku G/Medhin, Dean of LG-KOICA Hope TVET College Serious youth unemployment due to lack of technical workforceThe event was attended by 16 key figures, including Solomon Soka, State Minister for Labour and Skills; Thirahun Woku, Head of the Addis Ababa Mayor s Office; Jung Kang, Korean Ambassador to Ethiopia; Kim Yong-woo, President of World Together; and Lee Il-hwan, LG Electronics Regional Representative for the Middle East and Africa.The reason Hope TVET College is attracting attention is that the Ethiopian government is addressing the pressing issue of youth unemployment through it. Ethiopia has experienced rapid growth, with an average annual growth rate of 11% over the past 10 years, but faces a contradictory situation with an unemployment rate of 18%. The problem of youth unemployment is particularly serious. For Ethiopia, a young country with the working-age population aged 15 to 64 accounting for 51.5% of the total population, which is one of its biggest growth engines, the issue of youth unemployment is highlighted as a serious risk.The Ethiopian government identifies the cause of the problem as the lack of technical manpower. As the economy grows, the demand for skilled professionals with IT skills, rather than simple labor, increases. However, most local young people remain unskilled and work as simple laborers. This is because it has been difficult to rapidly develop a technical workforce in Ethiopia, a country that has long struggled with conflict and poverty.To solve this problem, Ethiopia has set Digital Ethiopia 2025 as its national growth strategy starting from 2020 and is making significant efforts to build IT technology infrastructure and nurture human resources. Other vocational schools are also actively working in cooperation with various countries such as China and those in Europe to address the problem of youth unemployment, but not many have achieved significant results.Hope TVET College has produced a total of 541 graduates so far and boasts a 100% employment rate, as all graduates have secured jobs, including employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. There have been cases of employment at LG Electronics local subsidiaries or partner companies, as well as instances of successful employment abroad. Tariku G/Medhin, Dean of LG-KOICA Hope TVET College, said, Hope TVET College has been recognized by the Ethiopian government as an excellent vocational training school, adding, Many of the TVET schools have an employment rate of less than 50%. Achievements of Tripartite Cooperation thanks to the expertise of KOICA-LG-World TogetherHope TVET College began as LG Electronics commitment to social contribution, aimed at supporting the descendants of Korean War veterans. By aligning with KOICA s IBS (Inclusive Business Solution) to achieve sustainable development cooperation results, this project has started to produce remarkable outcomes. As KOICA used its expertise in international development cooperation to lay the foundation for the business in coordination with the Ethiopian government, LG Electronics provided the latest IT equipment and technical training in line with current trends, training students to become professionals ready to enter the global IT industry upon graduation. In addition, World Together, a non-profit organization specializing in international development cooperation and an incorporated association with extensive experience in assisting the descendants of war veterans in Ethiopia, has managed the project in a stable manner in accordance with the local culture and circumstances.The true value of the fully tailored to local needs project is also reflected in the details of the school s operation. Over the past 10 years, the school has established itself and implemented completely free education, allowing early graduates to focus on securing stable employment. Shuttle buses and meals were provided so that vulnerable youth could participate without any burden. With 541 graduates working in the IT field both at home and abroad, a strong network has naturally formed among them. Iyob Digape (21), who graduated from Hope TVET College this year, said, I knew I could live a better life by learning IT skills, but as a student with no income, transportation and food expenses were burdensome, so I could only dream, adding, I was able to attend with peace of mind because they provided a shuttle bus to my house and lunch. Currently, he is preparing to start a business in the IT field. Hope TVET College is expanding its role as a startup incubator, providing not only employment support but also technology, networks and funding to graduates who want to start a business. To strengthen the capabilities of teachers, overseas training in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is provided to learn the latest technology and improve the curriculum. In addition to technical skills, students are also taught business etiquette, document writing, Korean language, and global business manners.Urqu Tadele (24), who is employed at LG Electronics in Dubai after graduating from Hope TVET College, gave a thumbs up, saying, The biggest advantage of the school is that you can ask any question and challenge anything. He said, I dropped out while studying electrical engineering at a university in Ethiopia, but I couldn t let go of my regrets. So I looked into several vocational training schools but couldn t find the right one, which caused me a lot of worry, adding, However, I had no reason to worry at Hope TVET College because I could freely learn the latest technology with the latest equipment. Hope TVET College s achievements go beyond creating a better life for local youth. It fosters a virtuous cycle by providing quality talent to Korean companies, including LG Electronics. Graduate Neway Silesi (24) said, After graduation, I worked at Alta Computec, a local IT company in Ethiopia, and recently received an acceptance letter from a company called Dragon Electronics in Mauritius, East Africa. Dragon Electronics is LG s official distributor in Mauritius, and the fact that he understands LG Electronics technology, operating policies, and even business culture has been helpful in his job change.The end point of the project is the sustainability of the school. The ultimate goal is to ensure the sustainable operation of the school while producing its own talent, including systematizing the school management system and covering part of the operating budget within the school. KOICA plans to provide technology, administrative support, and networking to help Hope TVET College become self-sustaining. Kim Hye-won, head of KOICA s Corporate Cooperation Business Team, said, KOICA will help Hope TVET College go beyond the role of a simple educational institution and become a cradle of social innovation that contributes to the long-term development of Ethiopia, where new technologies and challenges begin. ▲ View of LG-KOICA Hope TVET College (top left) and its facilities Q Is there any particular reason why LG Electronics has been actively supporting Korean War veterans in Ethiopia, even before the establishment of Hope TVET College? The primary purpose of establishing LG Electronics Ethiopia Office was social contribution rather than business. In addition to educational projects, the LG Electronics Ethiopia Office is also engaged in social contribution activities, such as building LG Hope Village and providing vaccines. The former Chairman of LG Corporation established the LG Electronics Ethiopia Office with the message, Ethiopia is a country that helped us during our most difficult times, so let s find a way to give back. Just as Ethiopia sent its carefully nurtured young people to support Korea during the Korean War, the LG Electronics Ethiopia Office believed that by sharing the advanced technology it had developed over the years, it could help lay a foundation for Ethiopia s self-reliance and sustainable growth. That s why LG Electronics partnered with KOICA, which has expertise in providing grant aid, from the very beginning. Q As for the technical training, couldn t it have been possible with LG Electronics alone? LG Electronics wanted to be genuinely helpful, not just convey technology and show off. Money and technology don t solve everything. LG Electronics needed a partner who could work smoothly with the local community, someone who understood what was needed and how to help. This is why it joined hands with KOICA. Q What skills are taught at Hope TVET College? The main curriculum includes information and communications technology, as well as electrical and electronic technologies. Hope TVET College also teaches document writing and business etiquette to prepare students for the global business market. There is also a system to help students advance into LG Electronics and affiliated companies around the world through internships, which provide education on the Korean language, Korean culture, and LG Electronics products and technology. Q They say that Hope TVET College uses the latest equipment for training. Students can become skilled workers with meaningful expertise by learning the latest technology using the latest equipment. Thankfully, LG Electronics Middle East and Africa regional headquarters has been donating its latest products. Q Is it true that a 100% employment rate has been achieved? Yes, while focusing on quality education, LG Electronics also paid attention to administrative support. When students reach their graduation year, they are asked to choose their desired career path between employment and starting a business, and a tailored curriculum is provided to suit their choice. For students seeking employment, LG Electronics utilizes its network to provide support, such as internships and job placement, for outstanding students. We also encourage employment abroad, such as in Saudi Arabia and Mauritius. If they want to start a business, we help them learn management skills needed outside of technology, such as law and accounting, and assist them in finding office space at a low cost. We also provide support with necessary tools and supplies. Thanks to this, the companies that hire or collaborate with them are highly satisfied, and we are discovering that there is an unexpected virtuous cycle within LG Electronics. Q Please explain in detail the virtuous cycle you mentioned. When global companies, including those from Korea, do business in developing countries such as Africa, they face significant difficulty in recruiting good talent and finding reliable partners. This is not a matter of technical proficiency, but of the differences in manners and culture that prevail in global business. However, Hope TVET College teaches the Korean language, Korean culture, and business manners along with technology, providing a solution to the problem of recruiting quality local talent. In addition, as these students and their families increase their affinity for LG Electronics and Korea, there is even a marketing effect, such as the creation of die-hard fans. LG Electronics has simply tried to return the favor, but it has ended up receiving help from them in business. Q What is the goal you want to achieve? The goal is to make Hope TVET College the most prestigious school in Ethiopia, producing talented individuals with outstanding abilities and warm hearts. Another goal is to expand the field to include Korean language education, B2B education, and management and accounting, in addition to technical positions, in the future. With the cooperation of the Ethiopian government, the aim is to transform it into a school that offers formal degrees. Another goal is to expand the field of education to include management and accounting, in addition to Korean language, B2B education, and technologies, in the future, as well as to turn it into a school that offers formal degrees with the cooperation of the Ethiopian government. LG Electronics plans to create a larger trend in which good deeds lead to business opportunities and mutual development.

2025.02.07

A new year, 2025, has begun. What great plans have you made? MAGAZINE KOICA promises to bring you more useful and interesting news about KOICA and its international development cooperation this year. Dear readers, Happy New Year to all of you, and let's dive into the first KOICA News that kicks off 2025 with the excitement of "first" 📰 NEWS 1. Launch of the first bilateral cooperation project with India On January 20 (local time), Navjot Singh, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Geetu Joshi, Economic Adviser, Manisha Sinha, Additional Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, along with Lee Seong-ho, Korean Ambassador to India, Minister Im Sang-woo, and Jang Woo-chan, KOICA India's Country Director, pose for a commemorative photo. The government of the Republic of Korea and the government of India signed their first bilateral Exchange of Notes for the KOICA India TVET Mechatronics Project, developed in collaboration with the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) at the Ministry of Finance in New Delhi, India, on January 20 (local time). This agreement includes ▲guaranteeing activities in India for personnel dispatched in relation to the business, ▲tax-free customs clearance, and ▲recognition of immunity. Through this project, KOICA will support the training of the technical workforce required to develop India's manufacturing industry. In particular, by piloting the introduction of a mechatronics engineering in secondary vocational technical education, KOICA aimes to ultimately share Korea's Meister High School model with India.In the future, KOICA plans to explore ways to cooperate in creating sustainable development and mutually beneficial outcomes, such as establishing an associate degree program at India's National Institute of Technology and considering the development of vocational training center projects in the shipbuilding and port sectors. 📰 NEWS 2. The first "Youth-Focused Project Volunteers" dispatched Members of the first Project Volunteers pose for a commemorative photo at the domestic training completion ceremony held at the KOICA Training Center for Global Leaders Program in Yeongwol, Gangwon-do, on January 15. KOICA dispatched the 'Youth Focused Project Volunteers' for the first time on January 25, lowering the threshold for young people to participate in overseas volunteer work and strengthening work experience opportunities. This volunteer program is a new initiative that has been reorganized into a dual form by adding project volunteers to the existing long-term volunteers.Existing long-term volunteers were selected based on their professional skills and certifications and deployed for more than a year. In comparison, the 2024 Reorganized KOICA Project Volunteers significantly relaxed the requirements and shortened the activity period to a maximum of 5 months, allowing even university students to participate without taking an extended leave of absence. Another difference is that assigned tasks are performed collaboratively and evaluated on a "team basis" rather than individually. The first Project Volunteers dispatched this time will be sequentially sent to a total of eight countries, including Paraguay, Uzbekistan, and Rwanda, and will carry out volunteer work in fields such as general education, international development, regional development, and health and medical care. 📰 NEWS 3. Awarded the Grand Prize at the 2024 Korea ESG Management Innovation Awards On December 18, 2024, employees and officials of KOICA, which won the Grand Prize in the Social category at the 2024 Korea ESG Management Innovation Awards held at the Westin Chosun Hotel Seoul, are taking a commemorative photo. KOICA won the Grand Prize in the Social (S) category at the 2024 Korea ESG Management Innovation Awards. KOICA was highly recognized for its job creation and shared growth results in the previous year, winning the Korea ESG Management Innovation Awards for four consecutive years. In terms of jobs, KOICA created a total of 13,000 jobs in 2023 in accordance with the 2021-2025 Job Creation Strategy. This represents an 11% increase year-on-year. In addition, special case clauses under the Basic Livelihood Security Act have been established, expanding access for vulnerable groups to work as overseas volunteers while maintaining basic livelihood security qualifications. In terms of shared growth, the amount of orders received by small and medium-sized businesses in 2023 increased by 42%, and that of coexistence payments rose by 31% compared to the previous year. In addition, overseas sales support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with innovative products was expanded by 573%, contributing to the achievement of $2.12 million in ODA project orders for SMEs in collaboration with KOICA. 📰 NEWS 4.Revision of 54 internal regulations from the "people's perspective" KOICA logo In order to systematically manage the ODA project and reduce the inconvenience to citizens participating in the project, KOICA has conducted a comprehensive diagnosis and revision of the internal regulations for project management from the "people's perspective." The revision was implemented targeting a total of 54 business management internal regulations for the promotion of ODA projects under the 「Framework Act on International Development Cooperation」 and the 「Korea International Cooperation Agency Act」, with the aim of achieving ▲ consistency between regulations ▲ compliance with laws and regulations ▲ regulation relaxation and system improvement.KOICA has integrated the standards for the calculation, payment, and settlement of ODA project costs into a single set of regulations and abolished internal regulations that conflict with higher laws in order to improve the convenience of project participants. KOICA has also made substantial system improvements in various fields, such as increasing the direct labor costs of experts every year and improving the working environment and welfare of overseas office interns (Young Professionals, YP) and Youth Mid-Term Volunteers. Detailed information on the revised Internal Regulations can be found on the KOICA website (www.koica.go.kr) under Ethics Management - Anti-Corruption and Integrity Data Bulletin Board.

2025.02.07