2016 KRIHS-WBG workshop on lagging region development

Date: July 5-9, for five days
Venue: Lotte Hotel, Seoul
Theme: Sharing experience and knowledge on lagging region development policy in Korea and 11 countries to draft lagging region development policy and implementation measures

  The Global Development Partnership Center (GDPC) of the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements (KRIHS) together with the World Bank Group held the KRIHS-WBG workshop on lagging region development, participated by 11 officials from the WBG and 18 trainees from 11 countries, in Lotte Hotel, Seoul from July 5-9.  The event aimed to share knowledge concerning the background of lagging regions and countermeasures in developing regions, the direction of policies on lagging regions and evaluation of policy outcomes, and success and failure cases, and to eventually narrow the regional disparity in the participating countries. It was also intended to help Korea to garner business opportunities regarding policy consulting on lagging region development in developing countries. 

  Meanwhile, the participants and the World Bank Group officials visited sites related to the topic of the workshop, such as the Seoul History Museum, Cheonggyechun Museum, Samaeul Movement History Museum and LH’s Sejong City Promotion Hall, taking a look at the history of urban development in Korea, as well as new town development cases.

  In particular, they paid a visit to Jeonbuk provincial government to share Korea’s lagging region development experience. They were given onsite explanations about  the municipality’s policy direction on lagging regions, the current status and operation of development funds at central and local governments, the impact of Jeonbuk innovation city on lagging regon development, and the impact of tourist attraction (eg Jeonju Hanok Village) promotion policy on local economic growth. They also had discussions about the issues.

  Among the distinguished participants was Mr Fan Hengshan, deputy secretary-general of the National Development and Reform Commission in China. The Workshop was attended by 18 people from 11 countries including Russia, Rumania, Columbia, Tunisia, Egypt, India and Pakistan, and 11 people including Ming Zhang at the World Bank Group. The participants from Korea were Dongju Kim, the president of the KRIHS, Ilho Chung, director of the GDPC at the KRIHS, Dr Wonsup Lee, Dr Pillsung Byun, Yongwoong Kim, former vice president of the KRIHS, Wonho Lee, professor of Sungshin Women’s University. ​