KOICA Research Quarterly Update(Q1 2026) → READ MORE
 
[Publications]

ㆍ Strategic Considerations for Reconstruction and Development Cooperation in Palestine following the 2023 Israel-Palestine Conflict  l Taekyoon Kim, Kyungyon Moon, Minjong Kim, Hongseok Kim, Eunju Jeong, Deum Han, Moonyoung Choi
This study examines post-conflict reconstruction and development cooperation strategies in Palestine following the protracted Israel–Palestine conflict triggered in October 2023 and de-escalated in September 2025. It analyzes the historical and structural roots of the conflict, highlighting the fragmentation between Gaza and the West Bank, limitations of the Palestinian Authority, and recurring failures of past peace initiatives. The report evaluates international assistance strategies, emphasizing integrated approaches combining humanitarian relief, institutional strengthening, economic development, and human rights promotion, and reviews reconstruction plans led by the Palestinian Authority, the World Bank, the EU, and other stakeholders. It underscores key policy priorities for Korea’s ODA, including supporting Gaza’s reconstruction, West Bank development, PA reform, human rights mainstreaming, digital transformation, and triangular cooperation, while proposing a coordinated, human rights-based approach that strengthens local institutions, enhances social resilience, and addresses physical and administrative fragmentation.
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ㆍ Assessing the Enabling Environment for Civil Society in Partner Countries: Implications for KOICA’s Engagement Strategies │Hyuk-Sang Sohn, Jae Kwang Han, Eunhye Lee, Hyo Eui Cho
This study presents a strategic framework for KOICA’s civil society partnerships, emphasizing localization and context-sensitive interventions across 60 partner countries. It identifies three types of civil society environments and recommends tailored strategies—from risk-sensitive support in restrictive settings to full co-implementation in enabling contexts. The briefing highlights capacity strengthening, long-term partnerships, and environment-based program design as core pillars to enhance sustainability, resilience, and local ownership in international development cooperation.  
ㆍUnderstanding Challenge Funds and Their Strategic Implications for KOICA│ ODA Center for Research and Education, KOICA 
The 28th Policy Briefing (Dec. 2025) examines the strategic role of challenge funds in international development, highlighting their capacity to leverage private sector expertise amid declining ODA budgets among OECD DAC members. Challenge funds, pioneered by the UK, are competitive mechanisms that support innovative projects with high social returns and potential commercial viability, often requiring co-financing and multi-sector partnerships. Examples like Sweden’s Innovations Against Poverty demonstrate their ability to improve market outcomes, expand access to basic services, and enhance social capital. The briefing also discusses KOICA’s Creative Technology Solution (CTS), a domestic corporate challenge fund operating since 2015, and emphasizes the need for strategic approaches to strengthen local innovation ecosystems in developing countries as CTS reaches its 10th anniversary. 
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ㆍA study on the Analysis and Formulation of Strategies for KOICA's Cultural ODA│ Youngwoo Park, Changsub Lee, Minsun Song, Jiyoung Shim
This study analyzes and formulates strategic directions for KOICA’s cultural ODA, addressing the evolving global and domestic context of international development cooperation and the rising significance of culture as a driver of inclusive development. Drawing on international frameworks such as the SDGs and UNESCO Culture 2030 indicators, as well as benchmarking domestic and global practices, the study identifies five thematic categories—culture and arts education, cultural and creative content industries, sustainable tourism, development through sport, and conservation of cultural and natural heritage. Through environmental analyses, field studies in Cambodia, and stakeholder interviews, the report assesses KOICA’s strengths, gaps, and comparative advantages across these areas, proposing a dual-track strategy of Core Projects and Culture-Embedded Projects, along with implementation models and performance indicators, to systematically expand KOICA’s cultural ODA and enhance Korea’s international presence in inclusive development cooperation.