MAGAZINE KOICA

'Korean-Style' E-Government Blossoms in Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan is one of the countries in Central Asia that were late in adopting e-government. In Korea, a few clicks are enough to handle paperwork, but here, people have to visit each issuing agency in person, and even a minor mistake along the way means starting over and getting all the documents reissued from the beginning.The KOICA Kyrgyzstan Office recognized the difficulties faced by local residents and became convinced that introducing Korea s advanced digital technology and efficient administrative system - moving beyond e-government toward digital government - would greatly benefit the country.▲ Monitoring room of the G-Cloud Center, Kyrgyzstan s first integrated government data centerKyrgyzstan Enters the Era of E-GovernmentThe Modernization and Capacity Development of the Advanced Administrative Information Sharing and Interoperability System in Kyrgyzstan project, carried out from 2020 to 2025, was actively led and promoted by the KOICA Kyrgyzstan Office. At that time, since the Kyrgyzstan government was also aware of the inconveniences faced by its citizens, KOICA was able to easily convince them of the need to adopt e-government. KOICA developed electronic civil service applications while simultaneously collaborating with the World Bank and the Kyrgyzstan government on parts of the project. The Modernization and Capacity Development of the Advanced Administrative Information Sharing and Interoperability System in Kyrgyzstan project is, in short, Kyrgyzstan s e-government development initiative. It s easy to understand if you think of it as a project to streamline Kyrgyzstan s administrative processes - which were done in an analog way - by digitalizing them in the same way as in Korea. The purpose of this project is to carry out a comprehensive reform - from the administrative system and electronic system development to the work methods improvement of public officials - so that the people of Kyrgyzstan can handle various administrative tasks efficiently and easily. The process was not easy. Building e-government wasn t simply about introducing electronic systems; it also involved changing the work methods and attitudes of the public officials handling the tasks. KOICA also had to establish a system for continuous communication among officials from related government departments; and building top-tier servers capable of handling many simultaneous users without interruption was another hurdle to overcome. Pyo Kyung-joo, Deputy Director of the KOICA Kyrgyzstan Office, said, Although it was not an easy task, the KOICA office and officials from the Kyrgyzstan government united in their determination to see it through to the very end. The KOICA Kyrgyzstan Office made a dedicated effort to ensure that local government officials fully understood the project and actively participated from the design stage through to implementation. If Korean experts were to take charge of the entire process, the project could progress more quickly, but it might lead to difficulties in maintenance and upkeep later on. Therefore, the KOICA Kyrgyzstan Office made sure to have interpreters present at every step, even if it meant working significantly longer hours, to carefully convey all relevant information to the local staff. Overcoming discord between government agencies was another major challenge. The project faced multiple delays when another ministry suddenly announced it would use the building originally designated for the data cloud center. It was also a long and arduous process to consolidate scattered information from various government ministries, such as the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor and Social Development, into a single unified system.Enhancing Resident Convenience and Eliminating Blind Spots in Welfare▲ A training program inviting high-ranking Kyrgyzstan officials to showcase the excellence of Korea s e-government system Despite the difficulties posed by the direct impact of COVID-19 on the project process, KOICA officials unanimously expressed a sense of pride and satisfaction. This is because the benefits the project has brought to the people of Kyrgyzstan are clearly visible and tangible. The processing time for services such as address changes, passport replacements, updates to the resident registration (family register), and driver's license and passport registration has been reduced by over 90%. Previously, all administrative services required an in-person visit to the relevant government office, and regardless of the task, it took at least an hour. To obtain additional documents, people had to visit other government offices and wait another hour, resulting in significant difficulties due to inefficient administrative procedures. Some services that were available online were criticized for slow server response times, but this project has resolved those issues as well. By providing even server tuning, the processing time for electronic civil service applications has been reduced to one-tenth. Another thing KOICA is looking forward to is the application portal for welfare and support programs, scheduled to launch this fall. This service will allow low-income families with minor children to easily apply online for monthly livelihood support, social allowances, and other benefits. Pyo, the Deputy Director of the KOICA Kyrgyzstan Office said, Even though the government provides welfare programs, many people in difficult circumstances are unable to apply for and receive assistance because the administrative process is cumbersome and time-consuming. We expect that once this service is launched, a significant portion of the welfare blind spots - where people cannot benefit from welfare programs due to difficulties in applying - will be eliminated. The KOICA Kyrgyzstan Office is also actively providing follow-up support to ensure that practical assistance is delivered. The KOICA Office also produced promotional videos in the local language to guide people who are either unaware that online services are available or find them difficult to use. Officials at the KOICA Kyrgyzstan Office attributed the success of the project to constant communication with the local community and the long-standing support programs of the Korean government and KOICA, which they referred to as sowing the seeds. Deputy Director Pyo said, The positive evaluations from local stakeholders regarding KOICA s past projects greatly helped in carrying out this project, and added, We will continue to actively manage projects for the joint prosperity of Korea and Kyrgyzstan.

2025.06.02

'I want to leave behind works that convey the history of the forced relocation of the Koryoin'

▲ Viktor Moon, a Koryoin master painter, settled in Gwangju, Jeollanam-do Viktor Moon, a painter who has explored the history of ethnic Koreans (Koryoin) from the former Soviet Union who were forcibly relocated in Russia or Central Asia and sought his own roots, settled in Gwangju Koryoin Village, Jeollanam-do. Born in 1951, he returned to his ancestral land, bringing with him a collection of paintings he had created in his native Kazakhstan. His official settlement date was March 1, 2024. Now, he wants to spend the rest of his life in the city of Gwangju, devoting himself to art and leaving an artistic legacy for future generations.He is a third-generation Koryoin from Ushtobe, Kazakhstan. Born in the first Koryoin settlement, he graduated from Almaty Art College in 1975 and began his artistic career in St. Petersburg, Russia. He later worked as the chief artist of the Koryo Theater of Kazakhstan and for a satirical magazine. He is an internationally recognized painter whose works are housed not only in the Presidential Palace and the National Museum of Art in Kazakhstan, but also in art museums across the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Egypt, Japan, and Russia. However, the true significance of his paintings became apparent only after his "return" to this land. Now, "Our History" In Kazakhstan, paintings depicting the history of the Koryoin were merely considered the story of a minority group. But here, it is accepted as "our history." The meaning is vastly different. He first visited Gwangju in 1994 for an exhibition. In 2014, while staying in Gwangju and working on his paintings, he learned with the help of an acquaintance that his family name belonged to the Nam-pyeong Moon clan. He even visited Moon Rock, a site tied to the origin legend of the Nam-pyeong Moon lineage. It was only then that I truly found my roots, he recalls.His family history is filled with epic stories of migration, exile, survival, and return. His grandfather was relocated to the Maritime Province in Russia, and later to Kazakhstan. He has retraced that journey in reverse, returning to the Korean Peninsula. His statement, "Returning to the Korean Peninsula feels like destiny," doesn t sound like a mere sentiment, and that s why it resonates so deeply.The Heart of Koryoin, The Koryo Theater▲ Artist Moon Viktor is currently working on an illustrated book based on traditional Korean folktales. His goal is to help Koryoin children living in Central Asia connect with their roots through these stories. His artistic journey began with a scene from his childhood. I was born and raised in Leninkits, a remote rural village in Ushtobe, Kazakhstan. There weren t even proper houses around us. I lived in a mud house, and when I was 10, I once carved the face of a commander from a postcard into a brick using a kitchen knife. One day after it rained, an elderly woman from the neighborhood saw the face of the commander and fainted - it had turned grotesque because the rain had distorted the carving. After that, my mother bought me paper and pencils and had me draw at home instead. My mother was skilled in calligraphy, and through her, I was able to ask some acquaintances who could paint to teach me little by little. Later, I studied at Almaty Art College and in St. Petersburg, where I developed my current painting style. There is another place that cannot be left out of his artistic life: the National Koryo Theater in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He worked as the chief stage artist at this theater. Although the conditions were poor at the time, with a lack of lighting and stage equipment, he took full responsibility for the entire stage design process, hand-painting the backdrops and costumes himself. He personally painted large stage murals measuring 5 to 10 meters and was deeply involved in the production of folktales such as Heungbu and Nolbu. He also went on tour to places like Uzbekistan and Russia, taking full charge of setting up and dismantling props. The Koryo Theater was not just a simple performance venue. The theater was a cultural sanctuary that preserved the identity of the Koryoin community, and for him, it was both the foundation of his career as an artist and a training ground that awakened his ethnic consciousness."The Koryo Theater was the most important art school in my life. It was there that I learned how to breathe with the community and express history and culture through art."The Koryo Theater modernized its stage, lighting, and sound equipment in 2023 with the support of KOICA. He expressed his deep gratitude for KOICA's support and said, "I hope that the space will continue to be a center for preserving the cultural pride of Koryoin in the future."Gwangju Korean Village and Moon Viktor Art Museum▲ Among artist Moon Viktor s works is , a piece depicting three sisters named Faith, Hope, and Love, connected together. It embodies the hope for unity and the aspiration to live as one community. For him, Gwangju, Jeollanam-do, is a special place. This place is where he realized who he is and where he has come from, and it is the city that made his rebirth as an artist possible. The solo exhibition held at the Gwangju Woo Jaeghil Art Museum in 2017, marking the 80th anniversary of the forced migration of Koryoins, became the turning point that deeply imprinted his artistic world on Korean society for the first time. His paintings were not just simple images but voices that contained the pain and history of the era.After struggling with the aftereffects of knee joint replacement surgery in 2022, he received treatment with the help of the Gwangju Koryoin Village, and this experience led him to decide to permanently reside in Gwangju. At that time, he obtained an F-4 Overseas Korean visa to prepare for settlement, and his health significantly improved during his stay in Korea. Looking back on that time, he recalled, "As my body healed, so did my mind." What enabled him to pick up the brush again was not just the result of medical treatment but the support of people and the warm welcome of the community. In 2024, he returned to Gwangju with the many paintings he had created over the years. For him, the Gwangju Koryoin Village launched a fundraising campaign in 2023 to build an art museum, and as a result, a section on the second floor of the Koryoin Village Comprehensive Support Center was created as both his studio and exhibition space. The space born from this effort is the "Moon Viktor Art Museum."The art museum officially opened on March 1, 2024. The opening exhibition featured his major works such as <1937 Koryoin Forced Relocation Train>, , and , along with over 50 acrylic paintings being unveiled in Korea for the first time. His works, which transcend the boundaries of painting, sculpture, documentation, and testimony, are closer to reflection than mere appreciation. In particular, <1937 Koryoin Forced Relocation Train> was also created as a tile mural at the Gwangju Koryoin Culture Center, expanding into a public memory of the regional community.Canvas of Memories Built with Dots▲ is a work that symbolizes the roots of the Moon family through ancestors dressed in hanbok (Korean traditional dress) and gat (Korean traditional hat). The figure in the suit at the bottom of the painting is none other than artist Moon Viktor himself. He does not leave the memories of migration and exile as merely personal narratives. is a painting created by imagining the life of his grandfather, whom he could not meet, and it fully expresses the longing for his Koryoin ancestors who lived without losing their ethnic identity. When I was a child, my mother was reluctant to share the painful memories of the forced migration with her children. This kept me from recognizing my identity as a Koryoin. It was only after I became an adult and learned that my maternal grandfather was Korean and that my family had experienced forced migration that I began to express this historical reality through art. One of the works born from this background is . Through this work, I imagined the life of the grandfather I never met and expressed the pain and longing of the Koryoin people. Beyond being just an art piece, I also have the desire to leave it as a valuable record that passes on the memory of forced relocation to future generations. His paintings are created using pointillism. This method, which builds form and narrative with tens of thousands of dots, seems like an obsession with the analog in an era dominated by digital painting. "The time spent placing each dot is like meditation for me. It requires a lot of effort, but the depth it creates is equally significant."His work is an ode to "slowness" and, at the same time, a struggle with "memory." He carves the traces of Koryoins' history and survival into each dot, writing with a language that will last longer than words.Now he says, "I want to continue working in Gwangju with peace of mind. And I want to leave this path I have walked on as a painting for future generations." His return is both a confrontation with the past and a new beginning. He is no longer a wandering artist. He is now reawakening the roots of the Koryoin on the land of Gwangju.

2025.06.02

Latest issues at a glance KOICA NEWS

May, a month that reminds us of the preciousness of family, is filled with welcome news as warm as its weather. We are delighted to share the news that the KOICA Paraguay Office, celebrating its 30th anniversary, has received a commendation from the Paraguayan National Congress. At the Korea-Vietnam Industrial Technology College established by KOICA, 53 skilled professionals in welding for shipbuilding have graduated. And in the West Bank of Palestine, which is suffering from the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas, an integrated rehabilitation center has opened. In addition, you can also find updates on the Safety in Field training for KDRT prospective members and the launch of a climate crisis response agriculture project in Tajikistan. 📰 NEWS 1. Paraguay Office Receives Commendation from the Paraguayan National Congress▲ At the event commemorating the 60th anniversary of Korean immigration, held at the Paraguayan National Congress on April 22 (local time), (from left) Raul Latorre, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies; Shin Hye-young, Director of the KOICA Paraguay Office; Yoon Chan-sik, Korean Ambassador to Paraguay; and H ctor Figueredo, Member of the Chamber of Deputies and President of the Korea-Paraguay Parliamentary Friendship Association, pose for a commemorative photo. On April 22 (local time), the KOICA Paraguay Office, celebrating its 30th anniversary, received the Las Residentas commendation from the Paraguayan National Congress in recognition of its contributions to national development.KOICA began its cooperation with Paraguay in 1993 with a rural water supply project. In 1995, the KOICA Paraguay Office was officially established. Since then, KOICA has designated Paraguay as a key partner country in Latin America and has provided a total of USD 182.26 million (approximately KRW 211.6 billion) in support to date. In addition, over the past 30 years, KOICA has dispatched 1,218 volunteers to more than 300 institutions and has operated training programs to share Korea s technology and systems with Paraguayan officials and professionals. Recently, KOICA has been expanding its cooperation into the field of digital partnership, combining the needs of the Paraguayan government with Korea s strengths. In particular, by modernizing public administration and improving digital accessibility, KOICA is paving the way for mutual growth. 📰 NEWS 2. First Graduates for Industrial Talent Development in Vietnam s Welding for Shipbuilding Sector ▲ A scene from the welding for shipbuilding talent development training conducted in March as part of the Vocational Education and Training Support Project for Employment of Vulnerable Groups and Youth in Areas Severely Affected by the Vietnam War. On April 25 (local time), KOICA held a graduation ceremony for the Welding for Shipbuilding Industry Talent Development Program at the Korea-Vietnam Industrial Technology Collegein Ngh An Province, Vietnam, producing 53 skilled graduates. KOICA is nurturing talent by establishing a technical school through the Vocational Education and Training Support Project for Employment of Vulnerable Groups and Youth in Areas Severely Affected by the Vietnam War (2023 2029, $12 million). For this project, KOICA formed a consortium with three HD Hyundai Heavy Industries affiliates (HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Hyundai Mipo, and HD Hyundai Samho), as well as Ulsan Metropolitan City and the University of Ulsan. Korean experts in welding for shipbuilding have been dispatched to the Korea-Vietnam Industrial Technology College in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, where they will train a total of 440 people over three years until 2027. Local technical instructors receive training in Korea, and graduates have opportunities to find employment in shipbuilding-related industries both in Korea and abroad. Based on the success of this pilot project, KOICA plans to expand the program to other partner countries, such as Uzbekistan and Cambodia. 📰 NEWS 3. Opening of the Integrated Rehabilitation Center in Palestine▲ A view of the rehabilitation center established by KOICA in Ramallah, West Bank, as part of the Establishment of Public Rehabilitation Outpatient Care Centres and Capacity Building of Human Resources in the West Bank, the State of Palestine. Residents of the West Bank of Palestine, who have long suffered from the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas, are now able to receive professional rehabilitation treatment. On May 6 (local time), KOICA opened rehabilitation centers in two cities - Ramallah and Qabatiya - in the West Bank of Palestine. These are the first integrated rehabilitation centers in the West Bank to address a wide range of disabilities, including physical, emotional, and speech impairments. The rehabilitation centers are equipped with occupational therapy rooms, physical therapy rooms, speech therapy rooms, and mental health counseling rooms. They also feature modern facilities such as a VR-based gait and balance training system and 3D interactive devices used for cognitive rehabilitation. The opening of these rehabilitation centers is one of the outcomes of the Establishment of Public Rehabilitation Outpatient Care Centres and Capacity Building of Human Resources in the West Bank, the State of Palestine, which KOICA has been implementing in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2021. Through this project, KOICA has provided facility support and has also contributed to strengthening medical expertise by offering on-site training for local medical personnel. In addition, KOICA has assisted in the operation of the centers by developing standard operating guidelines. 📰 NEWS 4. Safety Field Training for KDRT Prospective Members Conducted with UNHCR▲ During the Safety Field training conducted for KDRT prospective members in Hua Hin, Thailand, from April 21 to 25, the participants are receiving instruction from their trainer. From April 21 to 25 (local time), KOICA, in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), conducted Safety Field training for Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) prospective members in Hua Hin, Thailand. The recent training, attended by a total of 22 KDRT prospective members affiliated with KOICA, the National Medical Center, and the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare, focused on enhancing safety knowledge and strengthening the emergency response capabilities required at humanitarian disaster sites.Heo Jin-bok, Assistant Manager of the KOICA Emergency Response Team and a KDRT prospective member, said, This training was especially meaningful because it was conducted in a hands-on manner in an unfamiliar foreign environment, allowing us to experience effective ways to respond to various emergency situations we may encounter during actual deployments. 📰 NEWS 5. Full-scale Launch of Climate Crisis Response Agriculture Project in Tajikistan▲ On May 16, at the Agency for Land Reclamation and Irrigation in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, Hong Seok-hwa, Vice President of KOICA (right), and Davlatzoda Zafarbek, Head of the Tajikistan Agency, pose for a commemorative photo after signing the RD for the project to support the modernization of agricultural water irrigation management in Tajikistan.On May 16 (local time), KOICA signed a Record of Discussion (RD) with the Tajikistan government for two ODA projects in the agricultural sector aimed at strengthening climate change resilience. Ninety-three percent of Tajikistan s territory is mountainous, resulting in a shortage of arable land, and its agricultural structure is heavily concentrated on certain crops such as cotton. In addition, due to recent climate change, it has become increasingly difficult to secure agricultural water, causing continued losses for farmers.Accordingly, KOICA will invest $18.5 million (approximately 25.7 billion KRW) over the next five years to support projects that modernize agricultural water irrigation management and greenhouse horticulture facilities. Through this project, comprehensive support will be provided across all areas of agriculture - including facility improvements, productivity enhancement, and the development of new markets for agricultural products - focusing on the Rudaki and Hisor regions. Going forward, KOICA plans to continue its efforts to enhance the climate resilience of small-scale farms in Tajikistan, while the Tajikistan government looks forward to benefiting from Korea s experience in water resource management.

2025.06.02

MAGAZINE KOICA

Why the 'Private Investment Promotion' Support Project in Uzbekistan Is Regarded as a Best Practice

'Korean-Style' E-Government Blossoms in Central Asia

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