• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.425-435
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• 2020

Official development assistance (ODA) projects are conducted under the auspices of donor countries and on the principle of time-limited implementation for economic development and welfare improvement in a host country. Exit strategies on how to end official assistance are therefore crucial. Sudden economic recession in a donor country could lead to the suspension of ODA projects, which would affect diplomatic relations and project outcomes. Further, exit strategies can help continue the original project and create links with other ODA projects. This study shows how to employ exit strategies in the Korea-Mongolia Greenbelt Plantation Project and has implications for sustainability of development assistance. Exist strategies were not taken into consideration initially. In the course of implementation and management transfer upon the completion of plantation, various facets were considered later on in developing exit strategies. An ideal exit strategy is to reach the extent to which a host country no longer needs official assistance or has capacity of project implementation on its own. A year-by-year transfer of planted areas can be a phase-over strategy. The Korea Forest Service fulfilled transparent cooperation with Mongolian local governments, established appropriate arrangements with stakeholders, secured institutional and financial foundation for follow-up management by a host country, and realized predictability, responsibility, and sustainability. As a local institution, the plantation technology management center has been established for follow-up activities such as the introduction of agro-forestry. When the Korea Forest Service designed an urban forest project as an exit strategy, sustainability was ensured, which has implications in implementing other ODA projects.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.111 no.2
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• pp.330-344
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• 2022

While deforestation and forest degradation has continued globally, global society has been making efforts to prevent deforestation towards sustainable development. Reforestation in developing countries is linked to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as climate change mitigation, conservation of biodiversity, eradication of poverty and upholding of human rights. Forest official development assistance (ODA) restores the global forest land, and increases the public benefit. Bilateral forest ODA projects of the Republic of Korea have gradually increased and most of those projects have currently been concentrated in Asian countries. Selecting recipient countries for forest ODA requires more comprehensive approach since the global goals for sustainable development has been widely adapted to ODA strategic plans. We proposed potentially promising countries that are eligible for receiving 'Green ODA' in perspective of economic, social and environment to implement reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD+), conserving biodiversity, and combating desertification. As a result, the study suggests that forestry cooperation could be expanded from Asian countries more toward South America and African countries. In addition, we emphasized the need to promote convergence and integration with green technology to fundamentally solve the negative impacts of deforestation such as food, energy, water resource shortages, and forest fires. We advocated expanding bilateral ODA in the forestry sector through diversification of project activities, financial sources, and participants. Our study can contribute to the provision of basic information for establishing long-term strategies to expand bilateral cooperation in the forestry sector.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.4
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• pp.646-654
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to draw policy implications for the development and expansion of Korea's forest ODA through investigating the perceptions of stakeholder on the fields that contributed the development of forestry in Korea and would have competitiveness in developing countries and priority fields for Korea's forest ODA. For this, the survey was conducted for 248 subjects from the general and expert stakeholder groups. Chi-square test in cross analysis, independent sample t-test, ANOVA and Duncan test were conducted to compare the difference of perceptions by group. The whole general and expert groups consider that 'forest conservation and rehabilitation' contributed to the development of Korea's forestry most and consider its global competitiveness most high. Comparing expert groups, ODA experts evaluated the competitiveness of 'capacity building for policies, institutions and research' higher than the forestry experts. For priority fields of Korea's forest ODA, general groups perceived 'management of CERs' and 'conservation of biodiversity' most important, showing the clear difference in perception compared to that of experts. In Conclusion, for the effective forest ODA of Korea, the effort to fill the gap between the general and expert groups needs to be made, as well as developing forestry capacity building programs to cope with the fields such as climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation, which is newly required in a global society, in addition to using the past experience of forest rehabilitation in Korea. It will be useful for the rehabilitation of North Korea's forest in the future.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.221-227
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• 2017

This study is the evaluation of the 'Tunak forest recreation and ecotourism development project' which will be completed in 2018 with sole source of funding from Korea. A survey was conducted to evaluate the status of the project being carried out in Lombok island, Indonesia, through the evaluation principles and criteria of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC). Survey participants were stakeholders of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) project and local residents. Overall, the respondents had a good impression of this ODA project and expected they would contribute to the development of their community and region. However, respondents were not well aware of the ODA project being carried out in the Tunak region and thus more efforts should be made to help the local residents understand the positive outcome of the project and to promote the ongoing cooperation between Korea and Indonesia in the forestry sector. Results of this study showed that the projects have been effectively carried out and the impact of the project was well perceived by the recipient country. In addition, this positive perception of Korea is expected to help recreation and ecotourism business progress in the region. Therefore, we believe that the project should continue to be carried-out in the future and we expect that related companies will be able to operate on its own eventually. As it is difficult to evaluate the outcome of an ongoing project precisely, this study should be conducted again after the project completion and the results can be compared to the present results so that the effectiveness of ODA project can be more accurately determined.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.107 no.1
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• pp.96-107
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• 2018

This study analyzed the linkage between the Forestry sector Official Development Assistance (ODA) Project in South Korea and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of United Nations (UN), Suggested direction of ODA project focusing on the implementation of the SDGs. Forestry sector ODA project data in South Korea have collected from Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) statistical inquiry system developed by The Export-Import Bank of Korea. According to the analysis result, Forestry sector ODA project in South Korea have been actively implemented in the fields of forestry development, forestry policy and administration. In both fields, Korea Forest Service and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) carried out the most projects. The Forestry sector ODA project data in South Korea are classified technical development, capacity building, construction of infrastructure and afforestation based on their objectives and contents. SDGs emphasizes the importance of national implementation assessment and this study analyze linkage between ODA activity content in each classification item and 2016 Korea Forest Service Performance Management Plan indicator. Analyzed the 2016 Korea Forest Service Performance Management Plan indicator and SDGs target and SDGs indicator were identified. finally, SDGs goals were recognized. In conclusion, Forestry sector ODA project in South Korea are associated with the SDGs Goal 1 (No Poverty), Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), Goal 13 (Climate Action), Goal 15 (Life on Land) and Goal 17 (Partnership for The Goals). Therefore, With the launch of the SDGs, This study analyzed the linkage among the Forestry sector ODA Project in South Korea, the 2016 Korea Forest Service Performance Management Plan and the SDGs. it presented the limitations of Forestry sector ODA Project in South Korea and made proposals for the implementation of the SDGs.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.263-271
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• 2018

Considering the high needs of recipient countries and the regional biases of Korean Official Development Assistance (ODA) policy, increases in the total amount of ODA and allocation to the forest sector are needed for Central Asia. In Tajikistan, illegal harvesting and grazing cause a gradual decrease in forest area. The Tajikistan government conserves forests by requesting international cooperation and establishing a policy for sustainable management of forest resources and prevention of further damages. To suggest suitable strategies and plans, the current statuses of forests and forestry were investigated, and ODA projects that can illustrate successful Korean experiences of forestation were conceived based on various geographical features and local conditions of Tajikistan in this study. Forest resource creation type projects (fuelwood and Tugai forest restoration) could result in energy independence and enhancement of ecosystem service such as a climate regulation and an increase in biodiversity. Community development type projects (introduction of ecotourism, agroforestry, and planting of fruit trees) can contribute to job creation and encourage participation of local residents, thus improving their incomes. In addition, establishment of a project foundation, including education, training, and a national forest inventory, would help those projects be sustainable in the long-term.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.107 no.3
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• pp.294-304
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• 2018

Since joining the OECD Development Assistance committee in 2010, the Republic of Korea has been continuously striving to promote its international standing. A new era of cooperation is about to open between Korea and Central Asia, with the $25^{th}$ anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between Korea and Central Asia, and the welcoming the $80^{th}$ anniversary of the Koryoin (Korean) immigration in 2017. Central Asia is also attracting attention with a rapidly growing economy based on the endowed resources. Therefore, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, among others, were investigated in the following statuses: politics, diplomacy, economy, official development assistance and national strategies. In particular, this study suggests the South Korea's Country Partnership Strategy for Forest with the nations by analyzing the forest environment and forest policy regime, and both forest cooperation strategies: 'Ecotourism Projects using a Walnut Forest' in Kyrgyzstan and 'Projects Restoring Forest and Securing Fuel Woods of Degraded Land in Tugai' in Tajikistan.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2013

Official Delvelopment Assistance(ODA) in forestry sector has been implemented for about 60 years after the second world war. Forestry aid is getting important due to its role to play as a practical methodology of Millenium Development Goals(MDGs). Korea has conducted ODA in forestry in 22 developing countries since 2005. However its contents are mostly focused on environment conservation by plantation. In the other hands, the other donor countries try to eradicate poverty of people who are dependent on forestry, environment conservation and etc in MDGs by means of ODA in forestry. Swiss, Germany, Japan, UK, and the other donor counties found out without taking account of forest dependent people who are supposed to manage 22% of developing countries's forest, forestry aid could not be successful. The direction of Korean ODA in forestry need to change in order to meet the current movement of International ODA. For this, Korea should develop various contents of forestry aids like CF (Community Forestry) project which the donor countries with long history of forestry aids have implemented in many ways.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.19-37
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• 2021

It is essential that the evaluation of official development assistance (ODA) projects is conducted based on empirical research for the performance and improvement of the project. This study intended to quantitatively figure out the actual status and performance of ODA projects. The performance of the Rumpin Seed Source and Nursery Center project implemented by the KOICA was evaluated in items of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, sustainability, which are OECD Development Assistance Committee(DAC) evaluation criteria. From August 26, 2019 to August 29, 2019, a survey was conducted on 50 visitors and 54 stakeholders of the Rumpin Seed Source and Nursery Center. Through on-site survey, problems in the donation project and operation in Indonesia were identified and measures for improvement was grasped. As a result of the study, the value scored by OECD DAC evaluation criteria of the Rumpin Seed Source and Nursery Center project based on the Economic Development Cooperation Fund(EDCF) evaluation grade was evaluated as a very successful class in all items. The average score of the recognition question was 4.08 points for visitors and 4.08 points for stakeholders, and the average score for the satisfaction question was 4.37 points for visitors and 4.11 points for stakeholders, which were high overall in both groups. The main factor that affects the project awareness of the visitors was the fact that the Rumpin Seed Source and Nursery Center was created based on Korean technology, and it was confirmed that Indonesia's own items related to similar projects had a great influence on the project satisfaction. In the case of stakeholders, project support in Korea affected their recognition, and it was found that relevance, efficiency, effectiveness items had the greatest impact on the level of project satisfaction of stakeholders derived from the DAC individual evaluation results. Efforts are required to increase the main factors by reflecting the results of each item and to preserve and maintain the project. This study is significant in determining the performance of the ODA project based on empirical data, and it is believed that it can be used as basic data for supplementing and strengthening the project in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.2
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• pp.223-230
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• 2020

Central Asia has great growth potential for cooperation as the Korean Official Development Assistance (ODA) program expands and diversifies. In the case of the forest sector, Korea's successful greening experience has attracted interest from countries in Central Asia. In particular, the depletion of the Aral Sea and a widespread environmental degradation should motivate regional cooperation as well as highlights the need to establish a multilateral cooperative system. The limitation of existing bilateral cooperation, which is the limitation of South-South cooperation, is underscored by the engagement of new donors or the multilateral cooperation and triangular cooperation of organizations is receiving new attention. In addition, Central Asia is suitable for implementing the basic concepts of triangular cooperation. Korea is able to make complementary regional agreements using friendly partnerships with Kazakhstan (the Emerging Donor) and Uzbekistan (the second South Korean Focus Country of ODA). To reinterpret the basic concept of triangular cooperation, three regional cooperation strategies for Central Asia are proposed in this study: windbreak forest development to guarantee resident settlement, resident income increase, and protection of the Aral Sea from further degradation.