Gyeonggi Province Pursues 9 'Citizen-Participated International Development Cooperation Projects' Reflecting Private Sector Ideas

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Hong Seong-gil] Gyeonggi Province announced on the 22nd that it plans to pursue 9 'citizen-participated international development cooperation projects' reflecting innovative ideas proposed by residents and private organizations through February of next year.

The main focus will be on improving educational environments, creating jobs, improving welfare for people with disabilities, and supporting vulnerable groups through construction of support facilities such as lifelong learning education centers, to be implemented in 5 countries: Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mongolia, and Kenya.

Additionally, the province plans to implement the 'Vietnam Agent Orange Victim Support Center Maintenance Project' to provide direct support to Agent Orange victims in Vietnam, marking the first such initiative among local governments nationwide.

Previously, Gyeonggi Province conducted a 'private suggestion proposal project' public call from the 5th to the 26th of last month to reflect innovative private-sector ideas in international development cooperation projects. After receiving proposals from 24 civic organizations and undergoing two rounds of review, the province selected 9 international development cooperation projects as finalists.

The countries cooperating in these projects are Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mongolia, and Kenya—a total of 5 countries. The 9 organizations that proposed the projects will each receive 100 million won in support and must complete their projects by February 2020 before submitting final performance reports.

In particular, the 'Sokuklook-Shopokob Lifelong Learning Education Center System Establishment Support Project' proposed by the 'Bundang Environmental Civic Movement' will establish the first specialized facility in Kyrgyzstan to support vulnerable groups including women and the elderly. This project is expected to play a significant role in strengthening exchange and cooperation with Kyrgyzstan, a major hub of the 'New Northern Policy.'

Additionally, various innovative projects reflecting private-sector ideas will be unveiled for the first time, including the 'Hanoi Safe Educational Environment Creation Project' which improves the educational environment in Hanoi, Vietnam through activities such as 'school violence prevention,' and the 'Development of Disability-Aware Independent Living Activists Project' in Cambodia which supports the independent living of people with disabilities and cares for marginalized communities.

The 'Vietnam Agent Orange Victim Support Center Maintenance Project,' with a total budget of 200 million won, will construct or renovate and improve treatment facilities within the victim support center in Vietnam and enhance the capacity of medical staff at the center, thereby expanding social participation for Agent Orange victims.

Gyeonggi Province anticipates that this project, representing the 'first' instance of direct local government support for Agent Orange victims in Vietnam, will set a new milestone for international development cooperation projects.

To this end, the province received a formal request from the Vietnamese government through official correspondence in early this year. Currently, it is co-implementing the project through working-level consultations with Vietnam's Ministry of Environment. Through this public call, the province selected the Korea Global Sharing Movement Association as the project contractor.

A provincial official stated, "We decided to promote the 'citizen-participated international development cooperation project' to reflect residents' ideas and wishes in international development cooperation projects," adding, "We will make our best efforts to ensure that international development cooperation projects pursued by Gyeonggi Province shine brightly around the world."