OECD Development Co-operation Peer Reviews: Korea 2018
Korea is often cited as a leading example of how sound economic policies can drive growth and development, blazing a trail from poverty to advanced industrialisation throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Building on its reputation as a development success, Korea now plays a highly valued role on the global stage, sharing its knowledge with others and helping to bridge the divide between developing and developed country interests. Among other issues, this review looks at how Korea shares its own impressive development experience with others and how it is dealing with key challenges in co-ordinating grants and loans across government. It also explores how Korea is expanding its aid programme to work on new priorities such as assistance to fragile and crisis-affected countries.
Korea's delivery modalities and partnerships
Korea is valued as a development co-operation partner at both international and country level. Its combination of technical co-operation, grants and highly concessional loans, based on government requests, is highly appreciated by partner countries. In response to its policy commitment to “collaborative ODA”, Korea has expanded into a range of new partnership models, many of which are still at an early stage. Overall, Korea’s multilateral partnerships and approach to triangular co‑operation reflect good practice. However, partnerships with civil society, academia and the private sector are largely based on individual projects, which is not conducive for building the strategic partnerships that Korea aspires to in its policy documents.