KOICA operates various programs, including the Young Professional (YP), the KOICA Multilateral Cooperation Officer (KMCO), and the WFK (World Friends Korea) KOICA Volunteer Corps, to help young people aspiring to work in international organizations achieve their goals. To ensure these programs are not one-off opportunities, KOICA also implements initiatives that support young professionals in extending their careers within international organizations. Representative examples include the KMCO Follow-Up Support Program and the Korean Staff Recruitment System for Multilateral Projects with International Organizations. Kwon Jung-hwa, program officer at the GGGI Philippines Office The KMCO Follow-Up Support Program enhances employment chances in international organizations ▲ Kwon Jung-hwa, a program officer at the GGGI Philippines Office, appears in a promotional video for the Mindanao Development Authority, explaining the digital monitoring project for the mangrove ecosystem in Surigao, Philippines. Q Please introduce yourself. I am Kwon Jung-hwa, currently working as a program officer at the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Philippines Office. GGGI is an international organization that supports climate change response and green growth, and I collaborate with the Philippine government and international partners to strengthen the country s climate response capabilities.My responsibilities cover the entire program cycle, including planning and proposing new projects, building partnerships, and monitoring and evaluating implementation. In particular, I work with the government, development partners, and private institutions to develop and execute practical solutions within the Philippines complex climate, social, and economic context. Q People may not be familiar with GGGI. Could you tell us more about the organization? GGGI is an international organization established in 2012, headquartered in Jeongdong, Seoul, with offices in over 50 countries. It supports member countries in addressing climate change while maintaining sustainable economic growth. It also acts as a "green growth partner" by providing policy advisory and technical support, helping member countries attract green investments, and establishing institutional iframeworks. Through these efforts, GGGI helps each country achieve its sustainable development goals and reach greenhouse gas reduction targets. Q I heard that you were selected as a KOICA Multilateral Cooperation Officer (KMCO) and began working at the GGGI Philippines office. The KOICA KMCO program, implemented since 2013 to strengthen cooperation with international organizations and cultivate global talent in development cooperation, dispatches Korean professionals to partner international organizations, such as UN agencies and GGGI, with which MOUs have been signed. The dispatch period is one year, with the possibility of a one-year extension through evaluation, allowing for a total of two years of service. I was selected as part of the 13th KMCO cohort in 2022 and worked at the GGGI Philippines Office for two years. During this period, I gained a deep understanding of GGGI s business structure, KOICA s international organization cooperation projects, and the decision-making and collaboration processes of international organizations. Based on this experience, I transitioned to a GGGI staff position in February 2025. KMCO is KOICA s flagship program that helps Korean talent build expertise by working on the front lines of international organizations. During the dispatch period, the program is highly effective, as it involves performing a variety of tasks specific to international organizations beyond KOICA projects, including government collaboration, national strategy formulation, and field monitoring. After the dispatch ends, participants can apply for KOICA s KMCO Follow-Up Support Program based on evaluation. ▲ With the Chair of the Council Ban Ki-moon (center) and colleagues from the GGGI Philippines team. On the far right is Program Officer Kwon Jung-hwa. Q You were selected for the KMCO Post-Deployment Program earlier this year. Could you explain more about this program? The KMCO Follow-Up Support Program is a system in which, upon completing a two-year dispatch term, if a dispatched officer secures a staff position in an international organization, KOICA provides a partial salary subsidy to that organization, following evaluation and selection processes conducted by both KOICA and the international organization. From the perspective of international organizations, they can hire personnel who have already been field-tested while benefiting from KOICA's subsidy, and individuals receive stable support during the hiring process, which helps improve their employment prospects. I was also able to settle more securely into the international organization through this system in 2025, which greatly assisted in establishing a predictable career plan. Q The current funding freeze at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is likely to bring about significant changes in the environment surrounding international organizations. I would like to hear how the KMCO program is influencing the process of entering international organizations in this evolving context. Due to the suspension of U.S. aid, some projects in the Philippines have been put on hold, and there are reports of staff reductions in related agencies. This has made me keenly aware of how uncertain the international development cooperation environment has become. The GGGI Philippines office has not faced a major financial impact, as it does not directly depend on U.S. funding. However, this situation reminded me of the value of the KMCO Program, which is designed to help young Koreans begin their careers in international organizations in a relatively stable environment. The more uncertain the environment, the more easily one s career trajectory can be disrupted. The KMCO Program provides a stable foundation for building experience over a two-year period, even amid such circumstances. During my two years in the Philippines, I was able to focus on my work with a sense of stability and demonstrate my capabilities with greater confidence. Q As a member of GGGI, is there a story or message related to the climate crisis that you would like to share with the public? The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, is one of the countries most directly and severely affected by the climate crisis. In recent years, extreme weather events have become more frequent, and climate patterns have noticeably shifted. Just in 2025, Super Typhoon Uwan struck in November typically the dry season in the Philippines affecting about 7.5 million people and damaging more than 270,000 houses, causing enormous losses to agriculture and livelihoods.The greatest challenge we observe in the field is that recovery is taking increasingly longer after each disaster, even amid recurring damage. This results from a combination of factors such as insufficient infrastructure, limited financial capacity, and the constraints of existing response systems. Therefore, I have come to realize that strengthening resilience is just as important as prevention in addressing the climate crisis. The Philippines has a strong interest in Korea s policy experience, disaster response capacity, and green technologies. I believe this creates diverse opportunities for collaboration between the two countries. I hope to see even more opportunities for exchange and cooperation in the years ahead. Q In this uncertain international environment, what competencies do you think young professionals aspiring to enter international organizations should develop? Entering international organizations may feel distant and difficult. However, once you actually enter one, you will find numerous connections to your own experiences. Rather than a specific major or career being the right answer, what matters more is how you can connect your experiences to the agendas and values of international organizations. In smaller country offices, the scope of work can be quite broad, so in addition to professional expertise, it is important to have the versatility and flexibility to handle multiple roles. Equally essential are an attitude of understanding and respect for cultural diversity, the ability to adapt to local work practices, and a genuine interest in and adaptability to the host country. Kim Jae-hwi, head of the Monitoring and Evaluation Team, WFP Cambodia Office Now a formal staff member of an international organization through the regular recruitment process ▲ Kim Jae-hwi, head of the Monitoring and Evaluation Team, WFP Cambodia Office Q Please introduce yourself and share what initially sparked your interest in international organizations. My name is Kim Jae-hwi, and I work at the World Food Programme (WFP) in Cambodia, where I currently serve as the head of the Monitoring and Evaluation Team. From a young age, I enjoyed learning English, often listening to pop music and CNN news on my own while dreaming of becoming a diplomat. When I was in high school, Korea was swept by what was known as the Han Bi-ya* wave, and this nationwide surge of interest in globalization coincided with my personal interests, naturally leading me to pursue a career in international development. *Han Bi-ya is a South Korean international relief worker and bestselling author. She gained national recognition through her travel memoirs and later devoted herself to humanitarian work in crisis regions around the world. Q What was your first connection with KOICA? While writing my master s thesis, I wanted it to be based on a real project. That was how I first connected with KOICA by working as a KOICA Young Professional (YP) at the Korea Institute for International Development for six months. There, I served as a research assistant, supporting the evaluation of KOICA s maternal and child health center construction projects in Paraguay and El Salvador, mainly by collecting and analyzing field-level project evaluation data. Q You are working at WFP through the Korean Staff Recruitment System for Multilateral Projects with International Organizations. What kind of system is this? What distinguishes the Korean Staff Recruitment System for Multilateral Projects with International Organizations from previous Korean government initiatives to support Koreans entry into international organizations is that the recruitment process is conducted by the international organization itself. While programs such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Junior Professional Officer (JPO) scheme, the UN Volunteers (UNV) program, or KOICA s Multilateral Cooperation Officer (KMCO) dispatch are based on the Korean government selecting and recommending candidates, this system allows international organizations to directly recruit Korean professionals through an open and competitive process. The greatest differentiator and strength is that recruitment takes place through the international organization s regular hiring process, allowing successful candidates to receive contractual conditions equivalent to those of regular staff or general consultant employees. In simple terms, individuals are recognized as internal staff members rather than external personnel, which increases the importance and responsibility of their roles within the organization. From this perspective, not only the Korean Staff Recruitment System for Multilateral Projects with International Organizations but also programs such as JPO and KMCO should emphasize to international organizations the need for more strategic recruitment of Korean talent as internal staff or with equivalent status. In this regard, the JPO program s shift several years ago to direct recruitment by international organizations is viewed as a positive development. Q Could you tell us how you became a beneficiary of the Korean Staff Recruitment System for Multilateral Projects with International Organizations? Having worked in Africa and other regions for a long time, I often wished that my duty station could be closer to my family in Korea. As part of my career strategy, I was planning to pivot to Asia. Around that time, the WFP office in Cambodia needed to hire a Korean staff member for KOICA project monitoring and evaluation. I believe the office looked into the Future International Talent Pool (FIT Pool) for potential candidates. Since I had already registered in the FIT Pool in 2022 as a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialist, I was able to be recruited directly by the WFP Cambodia Office. Even if you are included in this talent pool, it may not lead to any opportunity unless there is an actual recruitment need from a country office or headquarters. In my case, I was quite fortunate the KOICA Korean Staff Recruitment System for Multilateral Projects with International Organizations was linked to the FIT Pool, and the timing worked out perfectly. Moreover, the KOICA project I am managing at the WFP Cambodia Office has been running smoothly through its first and second phases, which has secured a stable budget for Korean staff recruitment and further enhanced the sustainability of my work. Q Is there any message or story related to food issues that you would like the public to know as a member of the WFP? The key message I want to share is that the climate crisis is, in fact, a food crisis. Currently, 350 million people in 82 countries are experiencing acute food insecurity. Yet more than 20% of the total food produced is wasted within food production and supply systems. We have enough food, enough technology, and enough knowledge so why should so many people around the world still go hungry? Ultimately, the food crisis is not merely a problem of production it is a matter of distribution and justice. Therefore, addressing the food crisis is not just about producing more food; it is about responding to the climate crisis, ensuring equitable distribution, and contributing to the creation of fair systems. Climate action is, in essence, an act for food justice. ▲ Kim Jae-hwi, head of the Monitoring and Evaluation Team at the WFP Cambodia Office (first from the left), participated in her first field visit after taking up her post. She was joined by school teachers and local officials operating the school feeding program in Siem Reap Province. Q What competencies do you think juniors aspiring to work in international organizations should develop? The last century was driven by the values of free trade and democracy led by the United States, marking an era in which multilateralism was strengthened. However, I believe we are now at a turning point where multilateralism is facing fractures and a new international order is taking shape. International organizations, which exist to coordinate and implement multilateral rules, norms, and values, are now redefining their purpose and relevance in this changing landscape. Therefore, rather than focusing solely on where to work whether in an international organization, a private company, the consulting field, or academia I think it is more important to focus on why what values and issues you want to contribute to and to develop your competitiveness around that purpose. I think this is something that not only juniors but everyone currently working in the field should do. While working at an international organization, I never once stopped thinking about how to build my future career or what competencies will allow me to make a greater contribution. Additionally, since international organization staff always work overseas and face international competition, it is necessary to reflect on whether one has the personality and temperament to enjoy working in such an environment. Q What experience do you think was most important in entering your international organization? To those interested in international organizations or the field of international development, I sincerely want to say this: Try it firsthand while you re still young. Through that firsthand experience, you will gain, day by day, a much clearer sense of whether this path truly suits you or if you should find another direction. In the future, the work and roles in international organizations will undergo significant changes due to advancements in AI, task automation, and UN reforms, making specialized experts increasingly vital. AI will rapidly replace routine tasks, but designing new programs or initiatives, which require advanced critical thinking, planning skills, and deep expertise in specific fields, will remain the domain of humans.

• 2026.03.05
• 12min READ

▲ Dr. Lee Soo-yeon, who holds a Ph.D. in disaster psychology and social impact assessment, joined the Citarum River Basin Flood Early Warning System Project to provide objective data on whether residents of the Citarum River basin who have suffered severe hardship from repeated flooding are experiencing tangible improvements in their lives through this initiative. The Citarum River, flowing near the Indonesian capital Jakarta, has two faces. It supplies 80% of Jakarta's daily water needs, serving as a vital lifeline for 25 million residents by providing water resources and power, while also causing massive annual flood damage to communities in its basin. However, this reality is now expected to change. KOICA's 12-year Project for Flood Forecasting and Warning System in Citarum River Basin, Indonesia concluded this year. The project aims to minimize flood damage for residents in the Citarum River basin. KOICA installed observation and warning equipment, including automatic flow gauges and water level sensors, at 85 locations across the river basin to collect data and establish a proactive flood response system. With the full operation of this flood early warning system, how will life change for residents of the Citarum River basin? We met Dr. Lee Soo-yeon, an expert in disaster psychology and psychosocial impact assessment, who directly engaged with residents, listened to their concerns, and participated in project performance management and evaluation to discuss local reactions and the project process. Q Please introduce yourself. I am a disaster psychology and social impact assessment expert responsible for performance management in international development cooperation projects. In this Project for Flood Forecasting and Warning System in Citarum River Basin, Indonesia, I analyzed how the flood early warning system established through the project has affected residents' psychological stability and disaster response behaviors, empathized with their experiences, and systematically managed and evaluated the overall project performance. Q What was the background for your participation in the KOICA project? Even with the establishment of an advanced flood early warning system, it becomes ineffective if residents do not trust the information or fail to follow the guidelines based on it. Before the project, residents of the Citarum River basin had suffered not only physical damage from repeated floods but also severe psychological trauma and a sense of helplessness. As a disaster psychology expert, I believed it was essential to accurately understand residents' psychological barriers and needs. Additionally, as a performance management specialist, I joined the project to objectively demonstrate, through data, if it brought real changes to residents' lives. Q What kind of river is the Citarum River, what has been the extent of flood damage so far, and what are the causes of the floods? The Citarum River serves as a lifeline for tens of millions of residents in West Java, yet local communities have endured immense suffering from annual floods. The causes of flooding are multifaceted, including climate change and urbanization. However, my focus was on the necessity of region-specific evacuation training. Some areas already had warning systems in place, but evacuation training and education were essential to reducing damage. However, since such training often did not occur, the damage became even more severe. ▲ The downstream area of the Citarum River during a flood Q What kind of system is the flood early warning system built by KOICA? Technologically, it is an integrated system utilizing the latest observation equipment and predictive models. Its core lies in real-time data collection and scientific forecasting. Automatic rain gauges and water level sensors are densely installed at key points from the upper to lower reaches of the river to monitor data in real time. This data is transmitted to a central server via wireless communication networks and analyzed using advanced flood prediction models. The models comprehensively consider rainfall, water levels, and topographic features to forecast when, where, and to what extent floods will occur. Finally, the predicted risk information is rapidly disseminated to the disaster management agency's situation room, relevant officials, and residents through various channels such as webpages, text messages, and automatic warning sirens. Q What changes have occurred since the flood early warning system was established? The most important effect is securing the golden time. In the past, floods were recognized only when heavy rain suddenly brought water to residents doorsteps, leaving almost no time for evacuation. After the system was established, predictive warnings can now be issued at least two to three hours before a flood occurs, giving residents ample time to move valuables and reach safe shelters with the elderly and vulnerable. Q What was the most difficult or impressive aspect during the project implementation? Residents who had experienced repeated disasters were initially reluctant to open up to outsiders and share their honest feelings. Significant effort was required to build trust and obtain accurate data.The most impressive aspect was when our performance data actually demonstrated changes in residents' lives. Once accurate information was provided, residents showed remarkable potential and became agents of change themselves, which brought great fulfillment. ▲ All-source situation room of the Citarum River Basin Flood Early Warning System Q Has residents' anxiety about disasters greatly decreased? Yes, it has. The biggest causes of anxiety are uncertainty and lack of control. The flood early warning system reduced uncertainty by providing predictive information and increased residents' sense of control by enabling them to plan and execute evacuations in advance. This directly led to psychological stability and an improved quality of life. Q After this project, do Indonesian residents view KOICA even more positively? Of course. Expressions of gratitude toward KOICA and Korea were overwhelming. Residents particularly appreciated that KOICA listened to their voices. The opinion-gathering process KOICA conducted was seen as a sincere effort to empathize with their most pressing issue anxiety and to find solutions together. Q Other countries and organizations have also implemented ODA projects there. What do you think are the differences between them and KOICA's project? The biggest differentiator of KOICA's project, in my view, is the human-centered approach and thorough performance-based management. Many ODA projects tend to focus primarily on providing hardware, such as infrastructure development. This project specifically deployed performance management experts like us from the start to thoroughly consider residents' psychological and social factors. It established a clear performance management iframework, continuously monitoring and demonstrating tangible outcomes, such as behavioral changes and reduced anxiety, rather than focusing solely on equipment installation. Q Please share your impressions from participating in this project. This project was a valuable experience that reaffirmed the importance of understanding residents' psychology and behavior alongside technology in disaster management. It also confirmed that performance management can be a powerful tool not only to assess project success but also to drive positive changes in residents' lives. I hope to continue creating projects that lead to sustainable change.

• 2026.03.05
• 12min READ

February has seen spring warmth spreading after the First Day of Spring, bringing a series of welcome updates at KOICA through field visits as well. KOICA President CHANG Won-Sam officially visited Timor-Leste and Laos, strengthening partnerships with ASEAN cooperation countries. KOICA officially kicked off its master s and doctoral fellowship program for the year, welcoming 1,048 future talents from partner countries. In El Salvador, it completed the National Health Education Center and donated 18 ambulances to mountainous areas, strengthening healthcare infrastructures. In addition, we also share news of PeKO Friends participating in the K-Illustration Fair Seoul 2026 and the operation of the ODA World Tour at the KOICA Exhibition Hall. 📰 NEWS 1. KOICA President CHANG Won-Sam's Visit to Timor-Leste and Laos ▲ At the opening ceremony of the Korea Timor-Leste Friendship Sports Centre held by KOICA in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, on February 3, KOICA President Chang Won-Sam (fifth from the right in the front row), Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusm o (sixth from the right in the front row), and other distinguished guests pose for a commemorative photo. KOICA President CHANG Won-Sam visited Timor-Leste and Laos from February 1 to 8, where he inspected major ODA project sites and worked to strengthen partnerships with ASEAN member countries. KOICA President CHANG attended the opening ceremony of the Korea Timor-Leste Friendship Sports Centre in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, on the 3rd, where he expressed his commitment to child and youth development and expanded cultural exchange through sports. He also met with Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusm o to discuss the achievements of KOICA's cooperation projects in Timor-Leste and expressed plans to continue sharing Korea's development experience given its similar historical background through future development cooperation initiatives. On the 6th, CHANG met with Deputy Prime Minister Chansamone Chanyalath in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, to confirm mid- to long-term directions for development cooperation and reaffirm their commitment to combating transnational crime. Additionally, during a meeting with Minister of Health Baykham Khattiya, they discussed the achievements of health ODA projects and plans for further qualitative enhancement. He visited the Lao Korea National Children s Hospital on the 7th the country s first and only tertiary pediatric specialty hospital, opened in Vientiane in 2011 with KOICA support to inspect its operations and review the results of efforts to strengthen the capabilities of medical personnel. 📰 NEWS 2. Launch of the First Master s and Doctoral Fellowship Program of the Year ▲On January 23, fellows posed for a commemorative photo at the 2026 master s and doctoral fellowship program orientation held at KOICA in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do. KOICA has officially launched its 2026 master s and doctoral fellowship program to expand educational exchanges and nurture future talent from partner countries. KOICA held an orientation on January 23 at its International Cooperation Center in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, for three PhD candidates and 20 master s candidates from countries including Ghana, Mongolia, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan. A total of 1,048 fellows are scheduled to participate in this year s fellowship program. Since launching its fellowship program in 1997, KOICA has nurtured over 6,500 professionals from 95 countries. In particular, the doctoral fellowship program introduced in 2020 has established itself as a key foundation for developing advanced human resources in partner countries. KOICA supports networking and project implementation after training through its integrated training brand, IEM-CIAT, to help disseminate outcomes. Meanwhile, KOICA plans to strengthen education in future industries such as information and communication technology (ICT), artificial intelligence (AI), and manufacturing engineering, while operating 31 master s and 16 doctoral programs this year. 📰 NEWS 3. Completion of the National Health Education Center in El Salvador ▲ An overall view of the National Health Education Center (CENES), built with a total floor area of 2,246 square meters (three stories above ground) on the premises of San Salvador National Hospital through KOICA s El Salvador National Health Education Center Establishment and Health Education Strengthening Project. KOICA has completed the National Health Education Center (CENES, Centro Nacional de Especializaci n en Salud) El Salvador s first specialized healthcare training facility within the premises of the National Hospital in San Salvador through the El Salvador National Health Education Center Establishment and Health Education Strengthening Project. The completion ceremony was held on January 29 (local time).The center, constructed as a three-story facility with a total floor area of 2,246 square meters, enables practice-oriented education linked to clinical sites. It is equipped with 51 types of emergency and trauma treatment training equipment, along with an online education system, laying the foundation for digital health innovation. KOICA also supported the development of a mid- to long-term operational master plan (2026 2030) to establish the center as an international health education hub. This project is expected not only to strengthen El Salvador s healthcare system long challenged by shortages of health personnel and limited educational infrastructure but also to enhance trust in the Korean healthcare model and expand the foundation for the global advancement of K-medical services. Meanwhile, on February 11, KOICA donated 18 healthcare vehicles at the headquarters of the Ministry of Health s Emergency Medical System in San Salvador. The vehicles will be used to improve access to medical services for high-risk pregnant women and newborns in mountainous areas. 📰 NEWS 4. KOICA's PeKO Friends Participate in K-Illustration Fair Seoul 2026 ▲ Visitors participate in the Rhythm Game Challenge at the KOICA PeKO Friends booth during the K-Illustration Fair Seoul 2026, held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on January 29. KOICA participated in the K-Illustration Fair Seoul 2026, held at COEX in Seoul from January 29 to February 1, where it operated a PeKO Friends booth featuring its communication characters and engaged with approximately 5,400 visitors. The booth focused on conveying the value of ODA in a friendly and engaging manner. The exhibition zone introduced the characters universe and global activities through videos, while the participation zone featured interactive programs. In particular, the Rhythm Game Challenge received enthusiastic responses and energized the on-site atmosphere.Participatory events, including ODA quizzes and team project-type tests, also attracted visitors interest. Limited-edition goods and snacks from partner countries sold out quickly due to their popularity. Visitors noted that the characters made it easy and enjoyable to understand the concept of international development cooperation. PeKO Friends have built a strong fandom, winning the Character Awards Grand Prize and selling out their emoticons. KOICA plans to use this participation as an opportunity to further expand both online and offline communication. Event sketch videos and various SNS content will also be released sequentially.📰 NEWS 5. Tailored Education and Experiences at the KOICA Exhibition Hall▲ Children participating in the special programs at the KOICA Development Cooperation Exhibition Hall. KOICA Exhibition Hall operated the winter vacation special program ODA Wolrd Tour in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, from February 23 to 28, targeting teenagers and families. The program primarily included educational activities, experience missions, and side events, all designed to be enjoyable and accessible for participants of all ages. Educational programs included Thank you, Potato (for families), where participants learn the value of sharing through the story of Kenyan potato farmers and make potato hedgehogs, and A Bus is Coming (for elementary students), where they create an upcycled LEGO bus inspired by the story of a Haitian boy, Sebastian. Experience programs, where participants complete missions, were also available. Visitors could learn greetings from around the world in Hello, Global Citizens. explore the importance of marine environmental protection in Sea Turtle Eco Escape, and solve quizzes on ODA values in Miracle Shot Together. Completing all three missions and collecting stamps earned participants a small souvenir. Programs could be joined through advance reservations via Naver or by visiting on-site.

• 2026.03.05
• 12min READ