KRIHS-IDB Urban Development Academy (KIUDA) 2016: High-level roundtable meetings and closing ceremony

Theme: Sharing Korea's development experiences and exploring ways for cooperation with LACs in urban and housing sectors
Date: May 23-May 28, 2016
Venue: The Westin Chosun Seoul

  The Global Development Partnership Center (GDPC) of the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements (KRIHS) held an invitation program for 12 high ranking government officials including ministers and vice ministers from the five Latin American countries, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Argentina and Paraguay in the Westin Chosun Seoul for six days from May 23-May 28. This program is the second-year program of the three-year ‘KRIHS-IDB Urban Development Academy (KIUDA)’ jointly designed between the KRIHS and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
 
  During the course of the program, on May 24, the delegations from the Latin American countries held a roundtable meeting with the mayor of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Wonsoon Park to share policies on key issues in the urban and housing sectors in the capital area of each country and discuss ways for further cooperation. Mr Park introduced Korea's experience on development and cases of exports of policies from Korea to LACs in an welcoming address, underscoring the significance of a platform for sharing policies for close cooperation. During presentations about national agendas and free discussions, topics included housing issues in LACs, proposals for attracting investment from private companies, proposals for urban regeneration and governance for urban management.

  Also, another roundtable meeting was held with the minister of land, infrastructure and transport Hoin Kang. During the meeting, participants shared territorial and urban development experiences between Korea and LACs and talked about future cooperation under the theme of smart city and new town development, as well as housing and land development. In particular, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport underlined Korea's knowhow of developing new towns and ICT technology-based smart cities and delivered a message hoping there will be cooperation that will contribute to enhancing the life quality of the public in the public rental housing and industrial complex development sectors.

  Subsequently, a closing ceremony for the program was held. The participants expressed profound appreciation for the KRIHS's hospitality, saying they got a lot of implications from Korea's territorial and urban development experience and they wish they would apply them to their own country. In response, Dongju Kim, the president of the KRIHS, thanked the participants for the success of the program, hoping that the program would clear the way for specific, close partnership projects among LACs, Inter-American Development Bank and the KRIHS.

  Building on the discussions, the KRIHS and IDB agreed to continue discussions on how to collaborate for fruitful outcomes.​