The Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI, President Dae-hee Kim) held a workshop on "Sharing the Results of the 2019 ICT ODA (Official Development Assistance) Project" at the International Cooperation Building of KIST in association with the National Information Society Agency (NIA), the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA), the Korea Radio Promotion Association (RAPA), the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), and the Educational Broadcasting System (EBS).

The workshop was organized to share the project results for 2019 and to discuss the direction of future projects with 70 experts from the organizations that are currently implementing the ODA (Official Development Assistance) project in the ICT field in the Ministry of Science and ICT, and persons in charge of ODA projects from the related organizations and the private sector.

The Ministry of Science and ICT has implemented many projects through a number of organizations responsible for implementing ICT ODA projects (such as KISDI, NIA, NIPA, RAPA, KISA, EBS), such as consultation on information and communication broadcasting policy, invitational training of information and communication broadcasting experts, installation and operation of K-Lab, support for broadcasting environment improvements, development of the information access center (ICA), operation of the cooperation channels of overseas ICT policy makers, support for development bank cooperation, and the development and operation of educational broadcasting in developing countries.

In session 1, each organization presented its projects achievements for 2019 and its implementation plans for 2020. In session 2, the participants discussed the future direction of ICT ODA development in the form of a panel discussion and a general discussion.

Such projects are making a significant contribution to closing the global digital divide by sharing Korea's ICT development experience and knowledge with partner countries as a part of the government's efforts to promote cooperation on international development, and lay the foundations for domestic companies to enter the market by creating a pro-Korean policy environment and network in developing countries.

The workshop was held in connection with the "Appropriate Technology International Conference" (an international science and technology ODA conference) to share information on science and technology projects and the ICT ODA project as a whole. Since 2002, KISDI has carried out 86 consultation projects related to information and communication broadcasting policies in 27 developing countries. The workshop introduced the outline and major achievements of the policy consultation project and announced the implementation direction of the project.

During the workshop, methods of improving the effectiveness of ODA projects in the pertinent field and opinions about the future project development direction were collected from the organizations participating in the international development cooperation project in the ICT field and participants in the private sector.

Inquiries: Young-min Song, researcher of the Department of International Cooperation Research (+82-43-531-4204)