Policy Updates

From September 30 to October 1, 2025, the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the 8th Busan Global Partnership Forum in Seoul, bringing together around 300 participants from 102 governments and 11 partner countries to advance the agenda of development effectiveness in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.

With only five years remaining to achieve the 2030 goals, participants discussed the increasing importance of the development effectiveness agenda. Key topics included enhancing cooperation effectiveness, revitalizing the global discussion on the topic, and expanding inclusive partnerships with diverse stakeholders.

Co-Chairs of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation, including Secretary General Daniel Epembe Mosango of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Vice Minister Febrian Ruddyard of Indonesia, emphasized the need for all stakeholders to work together to deliver concrete results.

First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoonjoo and Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Jina reaffirmed Korea's commitment to being a responsible global partner and improving the quality and impact of its development cooperation. Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Kweon Ki-hwan also underlined Korea’s dedication to expanding its Human Resource Development ODA.

On September 18, 2025, the Verata Nursing Station in Fiji officially reopened following major climate-resilient renovations and the installation of solar power, funded by the KOICA.

The upgrades were completed under the multi-year SHAPE, which is implemented in partnership with the WHO and the MHMS. The project aims to ensure Fiji's health system can keep people safe amid growing climate-related threats such as stronger storms and floods.

Minister for MHMS Hon. Dr Ratu Atonio Rabici Lalabalavu, WHO Representative Dr Mark Jacobs, and KOICA Fiji Country Director Ms Hankyulsam Cho all highlighted the importance of the collaboration in building stronger, safer, and more resilient health services for the people of Fiji.

The broader SHAPE has also strengthened five other health facilities, installed solar power in 18 facilities, trained over 600 health workers, and improved disease surveillance and community adaptation to climate change impacts.

On September 15, 2025, a UN Women report revealed that progress on women's rights is stagnating and regressing due to conflict, aid cuts, and a backlash against gender equality, and called on governments at the UN General Assembly in New York to commit to renewed action, highlighting that the US$420 billion needed annually to advance gender equality is a fraction of the US$2.7 trillion spent on the military.

The report, a gender snapshot monitoring progress on the SDGs, found that 676 million women and girls lived near deadly conflict in 2024, the highest number since the 1990s. Women are also more likely to be affected by rising food insecurity. The report projects that climate change could push an additional 158.3 million women and girls into extreme poverty by 2050.

Director of UN Women’s policy division, Sarah Hendriks, contrasted the US$2.7 trillion in annual military spending with the estimated US$420 billion needed to advance gender equality. The report also noted a digital gender divide, which if addressed, could lift 30 million women and girls out of poverty by 2050 and generate a US$1.5 trillion increase in global GDP by 2030. UN Women is calling for renewed commitments at the UN General Assembly, 30 years after the Beijing Declaration.

On September 11, 2025, Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary Dr. Musalia Mudavadi and South Korean Ambassador His Excellency Kang Hyung-Shik met in Nairobi to reaffirm their countries' partnership, focusing on enhancing cooperation in trade, innovation, and green growth.

Mudavadi highlighted Korea's contribution to Kenya's development in sectors including ICT, education, and agriculture. Key joint projects include the Konza Digital Media City, the Kenya-AIST, and the recently established International Vaccine Institute offices at the Konza Technopolis.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary underscored Kenya's commitment to enhancing cooperation in labor mobility, energy, and climate change action. He welcomed Korea’s support through KOICA projects and the planned opening of the Korea Exim Bank in Nairobi. Both officials committed to deepening cooperation in green economy initiatives, with Kenya expressing interest in joining the Global Green Growth Institute.

On September 1, 2025, the KFS and the UNCCD held an international forum in Seoul, South Korea, to review the PFI and its role in using forest restoration for peacebuilding.

The PFI, launched in 2019, aims to restore degraded land in border and conflict-prone areas to build trust and promote the peaceful use of natural resources. The forum brought together climate envoys, international organizations, and civil society groups to discuss the initiative's achievements and strategies.

Discussions highlighted case studies, including a forest peace model in Bosnia and Herzegovina developed with the FAO and the UNDP, as well as climate security responses in Central Asia. During the event, memoranda of understanding were signed to advance peace building efforts in these regions.

On August 14, 2025, the resumed 5^th session of the INC-5.2 in Geneva, Switzerland, concluded without reaching a consensus on a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution, though UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen and UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted that all member states agreed to continue negotiations.

Negotiations to establish a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution concluded without an agreement. UN officials, including UNEP Executive Director Andersen and UN Secretary-General Guterres, acknowledged the outcome but emphasized that all countries remained committed to the process. The talks, which included delegates from 183 nations and representatives from over 400 CSOs faced significant differences on key issues.

The US delegation supported an agreement that allows for tailored, country-specific solutions to reduce plastic pollution while opposing prescriptive, top-down regulations. INC Chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso and INC Executive Secretary Jyoti Mathur-Filipp reaffirmed their dedication to moving forward and achieving a future agreement.

On August 12, 2025, the UNDP, with US$10 million in funding from the Republic of Korea, launched the REVIVE project in Afghanistan to support over 350,000 people.

The project will run from July 2025 to July 2026 across six provinces: Badakhshan, Zabul, Daikundi, Faryab, Khost, and Nangarhar. The REVIVE project focuses on creating emergency employment, rehabilitating essential infrastructure, and improving community-level food security, with an emphasis on climate resilience and women’s empowerment.

UNDP Resident Representative in Afghanistan Stephen Rodriques stated that the project serves as a bridge between crisis and recovery by investing in local resilience and sustainable opportunities.

Chargé d’affaires of the Republic of Korea to Afghanistan Sung-hwan Moon reaffirmed his country's commitment to supporting the Afghan people, particularly women, children, and refugees, and highlighted that the project will help communities rebuild livelihoods and move toward a self-reliant future.

On July 25, 2025, the UNOPS announced the delivery of critical equipment to Ukraine, part of a US$10 million project funded by the Republic of Korea's development agency, KOICA, to bolster emergency response in frontline communities.

The project aims to restore public services in high-risk areas of northeastern Ukraine's Sumy region, which have been heavily affected by the ongoing conflict. As of the announcement, deliveries included 49 of 60 buses and 43 of 100 power generators.

The buses are intended to facilitate civilian evacuations and restore access to essential services such as education and healthcare. The power generators were delivered to the SESU to ensure emergency operations can continue without interruption amid damage to local power infrastructure. Local officials expressed gratitude for the timely assistance.

On July 24, 2025, South Korea's presidential administration launched an investigation into its ODA, which experts have indicated may signal a shift away from the previous government's foreign assistance policy.

Under South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, the administration is examining reports of corruption within the KOICA and other programs from the previous administration. The government is also reportedly considering cuts to the KRW6.5 trillion (US$4.7 billion) assistance budget to fund defense spending. A mid-year supplemental budget already cut KRW7.4 billion (US$5.4 billion) from allocations, and the National Assembly froze KRW80 billion (US$58.3 million) in concessional loans.

The moves mark a turn from former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s policy, which had increased the ODA to GNI ratio to a record high of 0.21% in 2024. Lee has suggested repurposing foreign assistance funds to promote South Korean culture, a departure from traditional development priorities.

On June 26, 2025, UNICEF commended South Korea's contribution to the organization of US$142 million in 2024 despite declining global ODA trends, highlighting their commitment to placing children’s rights as a priority funding area at the 19^th Annual Policy Consultation in New York.

Particular focus in the consultation was placed on expanding assistance to Africa. Korea pledged to leverage both financial resources and technical expertise to bolster global child welfare. The consultation also reinforced partnerships in health, climate, AI and tech-enabled development (through the GIGA initiative), and private-sector engagement.

The meeting concluded with the launch of a donor-visibility platform to highlight Korea’s contributions to UNICEF’s mission.