Korea's International Cooperation and Statistics: Policies and Practice
Dr. Hyun-sik Chang
Chief Representative
KOICA Office in Beijing
I. Korea's ODA: Main Goal
1. Korea's Unique Experience
Once aid-recipient country turned donor nation, Korea exemplifies a model country of how ODA can play a crucial role in overcoming the hurdles of development.
2. Sharing the Experience with other Partners
A number of developing countries have shown interest in developing cooperation ties with Korea as the country evidenced remarkable economic development within the past decade. Both the demand and desire is high for developing countries to experience Korea¡¯s phenomenal development especially in the advance technologies.
3. Basic Goal of Korea's ODA
Based on South-South cooperation, the basic goal of Korea's ODA has aligned itself with the technology and information appropriate to the needs and demands of our partners.
II. General Introduction of the Statistical Project
From 1994 to 2002, the project titled "Technical Cooperation for Agriculture Census and Survey in China (ACSCI, II, III) was initiated to share Korea's knowledge and experience in the area of statistics. This project is divided into three stages, each having different objectives and focuses.
With thorough evaluation, this project contributes greatly to the capacity building of China's agriculture-related data collection and eventually long-term agricultural policy making---one of China's major tasks. The detailed description about this project is as follows.
1. Detailed Description of Each Stage
¡ö ACSC I
1) Period: 1994-1996 (KOICA Contribution: $500,000)
2) Chinese Partner:
Food and Agricultural Statistics Center (FASC)/ State Statistical Bureau (SSB)
3) Objective
- Provide Korean expertise on agricultural census and statistics to the Chinese in order for the first comprehensive agricultural census scheduled to be implemented in 1997;
- Establish planning system for agricultural census to facilitate the development of agricultural planning activities and rural development strategies in China; and
- Provide Chinese officials with training in planning, organization, implementation, and methodology of census in statistical programmes.
4) Input
- Invitation training of 41 Chinese statisticians in Korea for a period of four weeks;.
- Provision of 24 sets of personal computer and 3 vehicles to support the project activities in China;
- Dispatch of 27 Korean experts for a period of one month; and
- Dispatch two times the survey tour group to review the project
¡ö ACSC II
1) Period: 1997-1999 (KOICA Contribution: $300,000)
2) Chinese Partner:
Food and Agricultural Statistics Center (FASC)/ State Statistical Bureau (SSB)
3) Objective
- Provide Korean agricultural census experience including the data processing and the methodology of analysis;
- Provide Chinese technical officials with the training concerning the analysis of Korean agricultural census results its application in decision-making and the Korean information system for agricultural statistics;
- Provide equipment necessary for the Project; establishment and improvement of the Chinese national information system for agricultural statistics; and
- Utilize statistical results from the ACSC I and strengthen cooperation in the field of agricultural statistics
4) Input
- Invite 15 Chinese technical officials to Korea to assist the training for the analysis of Korean agricultural census results, its application in decision-making and the Korean information system for agricultural statistics;
- Provide the equipment (6 vehicles) to China; and
-Dispatch 11 Korean experts to assist the Chinese National Information System for Agricultural Statistics.
¡ö ACSC III
1) Period: 2000-2002 (KOICA Contribution: $200,000)
2) Chinese Partner:
Food and Agricultural Statistics Center (FASC)/ State Statistical Bureau (SSB)
3) Objective
- Provide Korean agricultural census experience to China of establishing current agricultural sampling survey system based on the results from the first agricultural census and various agricultural statistics in China,
- Provide consultation for building up an agricultural information; and center
-For mutual economic benefit, promote friendship between Korea and China by laying a good foundation for the exchange of agricultural information between two countries.
4) Input
-Invite 24 officials for two-week training in Korea in the field of agricultural statistics;
- Dispatch 16 Korean experts for two weeks to consult and train Chinese officials;
-KOICA will help FASC/SSB to hold an agricultural statistics workshop by dispatching Korean experts; and
- Provide three vehicles and 2 personal computers necessary for the implementation for the project.
3. Effect
1) Contribute to the capacity building of the overall agricultural census in China
- Prepare the 1st overall agricultural census in China by building the implementation scheme (ACSC I); and
- Promote improved collection, analysis, use and dissemination of agricultural statistical information in China (ACSC II).
2) Build more reliable agricultural census method
- Improve the overall agricultural census manual based on the 1st agricultural census in China (ACSC III); and
- Apply the census method to do the sample survey of Livestock & Sown area in two provinces
3) Introduce new managerial practice
- Enhance efficiency through exposing FASC/SSB staffs to international practice, international standards and data dissemination practices; and
- Disseminate such practice to the whole nation
4) Contribute to the establishment of knowledge and personnel network between two countries
- Exchange more than 130 personnel between two countries to share the knowledge and appreciate the practice of each side
- Promotion of the project in China by means of the Chinese mass media and other statistical meetings
III. Lesson & Challenge
As mentioned above, considerable progress has been made since the launch of the project. This project can successfully meet the demand of China's FASC/SSB in its efforts to strengthen the capacity building of the statistical system. However, during the implementation process, there were still existing problems.
In this regard, some positive and negative factors which affected the implementation of this project should be considered for further development.
1. Compatibility of both Countries demand and Supply
-The success of this project arises from the compatibility between the request from the Chinese government and KOICA¡¯s basic guideline of ODA
2. Reinforcement of the Partnership
In considering the Chinese spirit of share with mutual respect, KOICA has continuously given a high priority in building stronger partnership, personal and impersonal, with the Chinese partner in the spirit of sharing and the mutual respect
3. Formulation of medium and long term planning and Continuous financial support from the KOICA
- From the beginning, KOICA had formulated medium and long term planning to meet China¡¯s request for 10 years, which is unprecedented in KOICA¡¯s cooperation history.
4. Strong Support from High-level Officials
- Being aware of the implication of this project, high level officials from the KOICA and Chinese side continuously demonstrated strong support and showed higher attention in this project
5. Meet the actual Need of Partner
- At the outset, Korean side attempted to persuade the partner to accept its own knowledge and skills, with little attention to their actual demand. However, with close negotiation and dialogue, this problem had been resolved.
6. Continuous financial allocation
- In order for more accurate and complete agricultural statistics for the Chinese in the future, the Chinese government and the international partners should demonstrate its willingness to allocate more finance and support to the related projects.
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