‘2014 KSP Saemaul Undong Seminar’ held
Supervised by the Export-Import Bank of Korea, and co-hosted by YU and International Fund for Agricultural Development
YU-IFA exchanges aide memoir
[Aug 26, 2014]

 YU (President Noh Seok-kyun) held the '2014 KSP (Knowledge Sharing Program) Saemaul Undong Seminar' with the International Fund for Agricultural Development', a UN organization.

 This seminar, which was held at the Gyeongju Hotel Hyundai at 10 a.m. on the 26th, was set to search for mutual cooperation plans for rural development of emerging countries and to eradicate global poverty using Korea's developmental experience and experience with the Saemaul Undong.

 This international academic seminar was overseen by the Export-Import Bank of Korea and was comprised of presentations and discussions by IFAD personnel, Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Export-Import Bank of Korea, and Korean experts on agriculture, rural development and Saemaul Undong. Experts in rural development and Saemaul from 22 countries including Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda, Malawi, Mozambique and Ecuador also attended where presentations and discussions were made focusing on past experiences and cases.

 At the opening ceremony, Ministry of Strategy and Finance External Economic Bureau Director Yoon Tae-yong made the opening speech, followed by a welcoming address by YU Vice-president Choi Oe Chool, a congratulatory address by Export-Import Bank Senior Vice President Shim Seob, and followed by a keynote speech IFAD Asia-Pacific Director Kim Hoon-ae.

 In the first session carried out under the theme 'Comparative Analysis of Saemaul Undong with Other Development Models', presentations were made on 'Saemaul Undong and IFAD Applicability' and 'Core Elements of Rural Development Models for Emerging Countries', and a panel discussion on 'Similarities and Differences of the Saemaul Undong with Other Development Models'. In the second session, presentations on 'Overseas Saemaul Rural Development Cases and Implications', 'KSP Saemaul Undong Research Cases and Implications' and 'Cases and Implications of Rural Development in Emerging Countries' under the theme of 'Case Studies of Saemaul Undong and Emerging Country Rural Development', followed by a panel discussion on 'Core Elements for Application of Rural Development of Saemaul Undong'. In the third session, there was a presentation on 'Search for Plans for Global Application' and a panel discussion on 'Korean-type ODA Perspective and Multilateral Perspective of the IFAD'.

 YU Vice President Choi Oe Chool who co-hosted this international academic seminar said, "Korea's experience in rural development and escape from poverty through the Saemaul Undong in the 1970s and efforts to overcome rural and agricultural issues and eradication of poverty for emerging countries have huge implications," while adding, "IFAD, and international organization with 172 member countries recognized through this international academic seminar that the experience of the Saemaul Undong can be a useful possibility for emerging countries. Furthermore, it is a very meaningful academic meeting as it searches for joint plants with YU, which has 37 years of experience in Saemaul Undong research and education."

 Meanwhile, YU exchanged an aide memoir with the IFAD and pledged to cooperate in joint research on Saemaul Undong, joint-research on projects carried out by the IFAD and Korea's public development assistance institutes, and encouragement of rural development programs. The IFAD is the UN's 15th specialized institute established in November 1977 for the agricultural development of emerging countries and to increase food production. Korea joined IFAD in January 1978 and served for three consecutive terms as the executive director country from 1981 to 1996.