It is remarkable to see the “Knowledge Sharing Program” grow and expand.

This ODA program, jointly administered by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the Korea Development Institute, has suddenly become popular among developing countries, and requests to participate are piling up. 

This is a program in which Korea “shares” its experience of economic development with developing countries: What is provided here is Korea’s own experience since the 1960s instead of products or grants. The program has produced as many as 450 projects covering 39 countries since its inception in 2004 for the projects concerning Vietnam and Uzbekistan.

Once a participating country is chosen, the MOSF and KDI organize a group of experts who can provide tailor-made advice and consultation for the country. Korea has earmarked $26 million for this year’s projects.

It turns out that many developing countries wish to talk to Korea and learn from her economic development in a short period of time.

They are interested in learning from Korea’s failures as well as successes, and setbacks as well as achievements. So, they tend to ask such questions as what Korea would have done differently, having gone through its economic development drive for the past five decades.

Some other countries also run similar programs for developing countries, but the KSP is unique in that it is from a country that has managed to achieve a high-level of economic development from a position of poverty in the 1950s. Perhaps nothing would be more valuable to these developing countries than information straight from the horse’s mouth, as opposed to grandiose economic theories.

Recent KSP programs have expanded to new areas. Demand is increasing for knowledge about Korea’s legal structure and system, in an effort to see how Korea has changed and fine-tuned its laws and regulations during the period of fast economic development. Utilization of IT in governmental administration and national development is yet another item of high demand.

My personal experience also vouches for the unique contribution of the KSP. I myself have participated in two KSP programs ― one for Vietnam in 2005 and the other for Azerbaijan in 2008. The KSP projects’ responsibility was to assist these two countries in preparing their integration into the global trading regime.

Multiple meetings of experts from the two sides were held in Seoul and the capitals of the participating countries. Questions were exchanged and answers provided in a candid two-way discussion. It merits attention that there have been 448 other projects in the past 10 years.

This program is establishing another kind of solid bridge between Korea and other parts of the world. Recognizing that the program sets a good model for future ODAs, in a recent meeting in Paris the OECD has adopted the Korean program as a new ODA initiative, describing knowledge sharing as “the third leg to financial and technical cooperation in the changing global development landscape.”

Setting the successful launch of the KSP aside, the internal coordination among the government agencies has not been optimal. Different views still exist between the MOSF and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on which agency should be in charge of the ODA in general and the KSP in particular. Clearer division of responsibilities together with closer cooperation between the two agencies is just critical to get the momentum going. Based on the program’s track record, a successful KSP project arguably requires active participation of both agencies, because what the participating countries expect from Korea spans over a wide spectrum of areas, now going beyond mere economic development planning.

Considering the humble start 10 years ago, it is indeed nice to watch the program being expanded to meet the growing demand and recognized as a new route for ODA. To those countries standing on the start line of economic development, having access to someone else’s prior experience is sometimes more helpful than simple grants. At the same time, this is also Korea’s opportunity to learn from the partner countries. 

By Lee Jae-min

Lee Jae-min is a professor of law at the School of Law, Hanyang University, in Seoul. Formerly he practiced law as an associate attorney with Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. ― Ed.