On Wednesday, February 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) held a meeting with private sector specialists on grant aid, chaired by Director-General for Development Cooperation Lee Kyoo Ho.

The meeting was organized as part of efforts to implement the national policy task of "establishing an integrated framework for grant aid to ensure visible and effective ODA (Official Development Assistance)". Its main objectives were to share key directions for streamlining grant aid—including restructuring low-performing projects and selecting highly capable implementing agencies—and to formulate measures to make the review and coordination processes of ODA projects more systematic and specialized.

MOFA plans to overhaul the existing "Private Sector Specialists Group" system into the "Private Sector Specialists Committee" to strengthen the project review and coordination functions as well as gather inputs and recommendations from participating ODA specialists across various sectors, such as public administration, agriculture, water resources, and sanitation, as well as performance management specialists.

The newly planned Committee will set up subcommittees covering key areas—such as ①AI, Technology, Digital, and Innovation, ② Healthcare, ③Climate Change and Energy and ④Regional Development—as well as regional subcommittees. In consultation with the Committee, MOFA plans to formulate specialized annual guidelines for project evaluation and conduct ODA project reviews accordingly.

In line with domestic and international trends emphasizing development effectiveness and the strategic diplomatic use of ODA, MOFA will continue to collaborate closely with private sector specialists to ensure that Korea’s grant aid develops into an objective- and results-oriented system.