Call for Project Concept Paper

Information Access Center Project

◈ Background
Although the development of ICT accelerates, the socially marginalized stay out of access, and the global digital divide is widening. Greater efforts have been made to address the issue, especially since the outbreak of COVID-19, but the gap is still enormous. As part of the efforts to contribute to narrowing the global digital divide, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) of the Republic of Korea are implementing the “IAC Project” to make ICT more accessible globally, IAC serve as crucial hubs for advancing digital transformation efforts at both national and regional levels.

◈ Project Overview and Scope
1. Establishment of IACs
The IAC Project aims to help any beneficiary country establish an IAC, which consists of a digital education room, a digital lounge, a digital meeting room (this space also includes video conferencing facilities), and an administrator’s office. The IAC Project is a matching-fund project where NIA makes all preparation for the operation of an IAC and bears all relevant expenses, such as expenses for interior decoration and ICT equipment, while the beneficiary country operates the center and affords all relevant expenses, such as expenses for the hiring of staff and maintenance, and Internet fees. It should be noted that the construction of a space that will accommodate an IAC is NOT included in the project. The beneficiary country has to prepare a space for an IAC.

2. Improvement of IACs
To facilitate the operation of IACs and promote the sustainability of the IAC Project, NIA carries out a maintenance project for IACs. The maintenance project covers the expenses for purchasing or upgrading ICT equipment, EXCLUDING the expenses for maintaining the space or the interior. Once the improvement is over, beneficiary countries should operate the center on their own and bear all relevant expenses. The countries should operate their IACs for at least four years. Once the improvement project is completed, the operation should continue for another four years at least.

◈ Application Process
Submit the Project Concept Paper and an official letter with an authorized signature and seal to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in your country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea, and the National Information Society Agency by the 23rd, August 2024. The MSIT and NIA will review the submitted proposals and conduct feasibility studies in potential partner countries. Based on the results of the feasibility studies, the MSIT and NIA will inform the final partner country via an official letter. NIA will determine the candidate organization and applicable model for an IAC based on the feasibility studies and reviews conducted by an expert group.
For additional information, visit the portal(https://eng.nia.or.kr) or e-mail [email protected].

Project Concept Paper
for the Establishment of an Information Access Center

Section I. Overview
※ Read the instructions and examples written in blue carefully and complete the form in detail. Before submitting the form, please delete the instructions and examples. Handwriting is not acceptable.
Basic Information
Name of country

Ministry
in charge of ODA
☞ The Ministry oversees ODA projects, representing the country in ODA matters, and directly liaising with the Korean embassy. It holds diplomatic responsibility for this project.
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Finance)
Ministry
in charge of IAC
☞ The Ministry is responsible for implementing the project, with authority to manage the institution where the IAC will be established. It bears legal responsibility if the project fails due to local circumstances.
Ministry
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Digitalization)

Name
Write the name of the person in charge of IAC project implementation in the ministry

Department/division


Telephone number
Write a reachable number for communication.

Mobile number


E-mail address
Write a reachable address for communication.

Position

Candidate Organization and the person in charge of IAC Project
Organization
Write the name of the organization
(e.g., Seoul National University)

Name
Write the name of the person in charge of IAC in the organization

Department/division


Telephone number
Write a reachable number for communication.

Mobile number


E-mail address
Write a reachable address for communication.

Position

※ The organization intending to operate an IAC must have an affiliation with the relevant ministry and obtain permission to establish and operate the IAC throughout the project's duration. Moreover, the building designated for the IAC should be available for a minimum of four years.
Candidate Organization Information in detail
Name of organization

Location
○ Write the full address of the organization.
Location at google maps

Population of the region
○ Write the population of the region based on the official announcement. Please provide the name of the administrative region and the approximate population within a 50-60 km radius, which represents the area where students can reasonably commute for in-person education. Since administrative boundaries vary by country, please determine this based on your local context.
Description
○ Write in detail the purpose and main functions of the organization.
Advantage
○ Describe the organization’s unique values and experiences in detail that will help enhance the quality of the proposed project.
○ Briefly outline the beneficiary’s contributions to the project, both financially and non-financially.
Organization classification
☐Government ☐ Public Organization ☐ University
Section II. Environment Analysis
1. Describe your country’s policy priorities in the ICT field.
○ Describe in detail the national priorities and policies relating to the development of ICT and the role of your organization in that sense.

○ Please specify the exact title of the official policy or strategy document released by your country, and describe the content related to the establishment of the IAC in that document.








2. Describe the digital divide and digital transformation status in your country and the relevant ICT policies to address the issue.
○ Provide an overview of the issue using disaggregated data and statistics from existing reports.
○ Describe who is involved in the project and how much the project contributes to solving the problems identified.







3. Describe the organizational structure of ODA system and process of ODA
○ Specify the official procedures for obtaining approval for ODA projects and receiving official documents through the ministry in charge of ODA.




4. Collaboration with Korea or Other Countries on Similar Infrastructure Projects
○ Please describe any support, collaboration, or partnerships with Korea or any other countries (e.g., France, Japan) on similar infrastructure projects




5. Describe the stakeholder analysis
○ Please visualize the stakeholders' diagram related to the project

Ex)





Section III. The IAC Concept
※ The IAC Establishment project involves indoor construction work. Therefore, the building that is proposed as candidate must be capable of undergoing interior construction including modifications to existing ceilings, floors, and other interior structures.
Information on the IAC site
Location of the IAC site
☞ The IAC Project does not support the construction of a building; thus, the site specified here should be in a building. Write the building address.
Ex) Cheonggyecheon-ro 14, Jung-Gu, Seoul, Repulic of Korea.
Location at google maps
Ex) https://goo.gl/maps/wwoTXnL5XGozWBUb6
Total space of IAC site
☞ The size of the space shall not be less than 300㎡ but not more than 400㎡.
Ex) About 350 ㎡
Year of Construction
☞ It is preferable to propose candidate buildings that were constructed after 1990. If the building is too old to establish an IAC, it will be a deduction factor in evaluating the proposal and changing the candidate building can be required by the NIA.
Ex) The construction year of the IAC site is 2010, and it underwent renovation in 2015.
Ownership of the building
☞ The candidate building should be owned by the operating organization (candidate organization).
Ex) It is owned by “name of the organization”
Accessibility
☞ Write the public transportation and floating population of the area.
Ex) To reach the IAC site, the transportation modes such as public transport, private cars, and taxis can be taken. There is approximately 50,000 population in the locality including the district administration, trade and industry centers, municipality, schools and colleges, corporate and private agencies, and autonomous and business entities.
Power supply
(Electricity)
☞ The IAC site should support a minimum power of 18,000 watts.
Ex) Over 30,000 watts
Network (Internet) capacity
☞ The candidate building should support a minimum 20 Mbps internet connection.
Ex) 50Mbps
International R&D Network Connection
☞ It is preferable for the candidate building to connect to the international R&D network such as TEIN (for Asian counties), Internet2 (for American countries, and Geant (for European counties), directly or indirectly.
Ex1) The candidate organization is now using the National R&D network of (county name) with 250 Mbps network capacity and the National R&D network is connected to the TEIN.
Ex2) The candidate organization is not using the National R&D network of (county name) but it is connected to the TEIN.
Ex3) There is no National R&D network in (county name) and the organization cannot connect to the international R&D network.
If the proposed space structure is unsuitable for the establishment of the IAC space, can the NIA proceed with partial demolition, or other repair of some parts like walls, lights, etc.?
☐ Yes ☐ NO
If the building is determined to be unsuitable, is there an alternative building available in the same region?
☐ Yes ☐ NO

Note : The selection of the IAC site proposed by the relevant country requires an official decision by the Korean government, which may take more than one year. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the overall project timeline and ensure that site recommendations and related processes are aligned with this schedule.

※ The IAC can be designed in two alternative types, based on the specific requirements of the country for which you are applying. Please check ☒ one of the below two available types.
Applicable IAC Types
Type
☐ IAC Lounge
☐ IAC DX
(digital transformation)
Main goal
Providing greater public access to the Internet and offering basic ICT education
Bridging the digital divide through ICT education, enhancing information accessibility in communities, promoting digital literacy and AI research, and supporting innovation, digital skills, startups, and SMEs.
Facilities
Digital education room, Digital lounge, Digital meeting room, Administrators Office, etc..
AI Development Center, Digital education room, Digital lounge, Digital meeting room, Administrators Office
Equipment
※ The total amount of budget for the IAC Lounge and IAC DX is the same.
Laptops or desktops, printers, smart boards, video conferencing systems, VR, etc.

Laptops or desktops, IoT education toolkits, AI/Cloud server, data analysis SW, a video conferencing system, projectors, smart boards, 3D printer, VR, etc.
Requirement or recommendation
Internet speed of over 20 Mbps
Internet speed of over 100 Mbps
※ Cost of Labor and operating expenses such as electricity for running the center are not supported.

Additional applicable IAC Type
Type
☐ IAC Mobile
Main goal
Bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas
Recommended locations
Rural areas
Facilities
Bus
Equipment

Laptops, printers, cabinets, projectors, electronic blackboards, digital podiums, etc.
※ You can apply for the IAC Mobile type separately from the IAC DX and Lounge types. The application for IAC Mobile is independent of the application for IAC Lounge/DX. Please consider choosing this solely in cases where a genuine demand exists.
※ Operating costs such as fuel expenses and driver salaries are not supported.
※ The organization must establish a safety management policy for IAC Mobile.
1. Reason for choosing the IAC Type (IAC Lounge or IAC DX / and IAC Mobile if you selected)
○ Please describe the precise rationales for opting for the IAC Lounge or IAC DX type, considering factors such as national, ministerial, institutional, and local demands. Specify the current status and problems that your organization hopes to solve through IAC as well.

○ Specify the primary purpose of the IAC. (Choose one: enhancing digital accessibility, creating business opportunities, or capacity building)




2. Educational demand
☞ The NIA might offer a cooperative educational support with Korean ICT experts before and/or after establishment of an IAC. Please, describe your specific educational demands in detail.

Subjects
Target trainees
Description











3. Yearly IAC operational plan
○ Write a detailed yearly plan for the IAC’s operation.

2026
Training course
Date
Description
Beneficiary
Social group
Number of the Expect
Beneficiaries
















2027
Training course
Date
Description
Beneficiary
Social group
Number of the Expect
Beneficiaries
















2028
Training course
Date
Description
Beneficiary
Social group
Number of the Expect
Beneficiaries
















4. IAC Administrators
○ Describe how many operators will be involved in this project, and who they are (name, position, etc.), and what their role is.

Name
Position
Roles











5. Photo of the IAC site
○ Attach photos of the building to accommodate an IAC. Note that the IAC Project does not support the construction of a building. The photo should show the building for an IAC.

Bird’s eye view

Photo of the interior of an IAC building

Location map

Floor plan of the building

Floor plan of the IAC site


○ Please submit the files as attachments separately. (ex. Title: Education Room.)

Section III. Expected Results
1. Expected Outcomes/Impacts
1.1. Expected outcomes for your country
○ Please describe the expected outcomes, and describe the quantitative numerical value if the expected outcomes can be estimated. (e.g., 10% increase in economic effect due to ICT development)



1.2. Expected outcomes to IAC center
○ Please describe the expected outcomes, and describe the quantitative numerical value if the expected outcomes can be estimated. (e.g., 10% increase in income of IAC due to growth in users)



1.3. Expected outcomes for each direct/indirect beneficiary
○ Describe the project’s anticipated target groups and beneficiaries. Specify who are the main users and their approximate number.


○ Describe the expected outcomes and benefits that will be achieved through the IAC Project. (e.g., 5% increase in employment rate due to improvement of utilization ability of ICT of employees/founders)



2. Expected contributions to the sustainable development goals (SDGs)
2.1. Check the expected contributions to the SDGs below
(https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030.html)
☐ No poverty
☐ Zero hunger
☐ Good health and well-being
☐ Quality education
☐ Gender equality
☐ Clean water and sanitation
☐ Affordable and clean energy
☐ Decent work and economic growth
☐ Industry, innovation, and infrastructure

☐ Reduced inequality
☐ Sustainable cities and communities
☐ Responsible consumption and production
☐ Climate action
☐ Life below water
☐ Life on land
☐ Peace, justice and strong institution
☐ Partnerships to achieve the goal

○ Describe how the project will contribute to achieving the SDGs in terms of the indicators marked above. Explain how the project will bring the anticipated change.



Section IV. Environmental and Social Safeguard Screening Questionnaires

1. Preliminary questions

[1-1] Is this a development consultation project?
☐ Yes ☐ No

[1-2] Does this project include facility/infrastructure construction?
☐ Yes ☐ No

☞ If your answer to [1-1] is “yes” and your answer to [1-2] is “no,” please do not proceed to No. 2.

2. Project Overview

2-1. Location or address of the project site
〔 〕
2-2. Basic information related to the project including the scale

☐ Drawing/satellite photo (check if attached)

2-3. Major impacts of the project

① Does the project support the construction of a new building, or the extension or repair of an existing building?
☐ Yes (Land area: ) ☐ No ☐ Don’t know

② Will the project change topography or land use?
☐ Yes (Land area: ) ☐ No ☐ Don’t know

③ Will the project include the development or use of water resources?
☐ Yes (Amount: ) ☐ No ☐ Don’t know

④ Will the project cause occurrence of waste?
☐ Yes (Amount: ) ☐ No ☐ Don’t know

⑤ Will the project result in the involuntary relocation of local residents?
☐ Yes (Number of people: ) ☐ No ☐ Don’t know

⑥ Is the project likely to cause complaints from or disputes with local residents?
☐ Yes (Reason: ) ☐ No ☐ Don’t know

3. Whether the project is subject to your country’s requirements for environmental impact assessment, etc.

3-1. Does your country have laws or regulations relating to environmental/social impact assessments?
☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Don’t know
3-2. Is the project subject to an environmental/social impact assessment or other relevant impact assessments under these laws or regulations?
☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Don’t know
☞ If your answer to the above question is “yes” and your country separately categorizes laws or regulations to deal with the environment and society, please state the relevant category.
〔 〕
3-3. If the project is subject to an environmental/social impact assessment and environmental/social management plan, mark where applicable.
☐ Completed ☐ Underway ☐ Scheduled ☐ Not Completed
(date/time: )
4. Characteristics of the project site and the type of the project
4-1. Is the project site located in or adjacent to an area listed below?
☐ Yes ☐ No
☞If your answer to the above question is “yes,” mark all that apply.
☐ Virgin forest or tropical forest
☐ Ecologically important habitat areas (coral reef, mangrove wetland, tidal flats)
☐ Habitat of rare species protected by domestic laws or international treaties
☐ Areas with risk of soil erosion on a large scale
☐ Areas with notable desertification tendency
☐ Government-designated reserve areas such as national parks
☐ Archaeologically, historically, or culturally valuable areas
☐ Living areas of ethnic peoples, indigenous peoples, or nomads who retain a traditional lifestyle
☐ A densely populated area that poses a risk of large-scale involuntary relocation of people
☐ An area with special social value
4-2. Does the project fall under one of the categories listed below?
☐ Yes ☐ No
☞If your answer to the foregoing question is “yes,” please mark all that apply
☐ Hydropower, dams, and reservoirs
☐ Roads, railroads, and bridges
☐ Water supply, sewage treatment
☐ Stream and erosion control
☐ Mining development
☐ Tourism
☐ Forestry
☐ Urban development
☐ Airport/port
☐ Solid waste treatment
☐ Power transmission and distribution lines
☐ Industrial development
☐ Agriculture involving large-scale land clearing or irrigation
☐ Fishery

5. Environmental/social impact

Question
Yes
No
Don’t know
Note
1. Is the project likely to have an impact on an ecologically important or sensitive area nearby (e.g., wetland, stream, coast, mountain, forest)?




2. Is the project likely to have an impact on a natural scenery or geographic feature nearby?




3. Is the project site close to a culturally or historically valuable area?




4. Does the project considerably encroach on an area that needs environmental consideration or alter the surface or physical properties of the nearby land?




5. Does the project require a large amount of water or energy during construction or operation?




6. Will the project require a water supply, sewerage, or transportation that current infrastructure facilities cannot provide?




7. Will the project produce a large amount of waste, particularly of hazardous or toxic nature?




8. Will the project produce a large amount of drain water or air pollutants?




9. Will the project have a serious impact on an important body of water nearby?




10. Is the project likely to have a serious impact on surface/underground water in terms of amount or quality?




11. Does the project require lodging facilities or other accommodations for workers during construction or operation?




12. Does the project require the use of a large amount of fertilizer or pesticide?




13. Does the project involve the introduction of foreign species of wildlife to the area?




14. Does the project involve any risk of turning the area into a habitat for pests or animals carrying infectious diseases?




15. Will the project cause harm to people in a densely populated area nearby due to air pollution, noise, vibrations, or stench?




16. Will the project cause serious soil erosion or degradation due to the location of the project site (e.g., steep slope or vulnerable soil area)?




17. Will the project cause an influx or relocation of a large number of people in the area?




18. Will the project cause the involuntary relocation of a large number of people elsewhere?




19. Will the project cause a change in local residents’ lifestyles?




20. Will the project have a negative impact on cultural heritage/sites in the area?






This report is prepared by
Name

Position

Ministry or organization

Telephone number

Department/division

Mobile number

Fax number

E-mail


☐ I confirm that I thoroughly read and understand the project overview, and the information given in this concept paper is true, complete, and accurate.


(Signature of the document preparer)
(Name of the document preparer)
(Position)
DD/MM/YYYY

Note: The document preparer and the two final decision-makers from each agency must be different individuals. If the conditions are not met, this PCP may not be considered an official PCP




(Signature of the final decision-maker from the Ministry)
(Name of the person representing the ministry)
(Position)
(Name of the ministry in charge of the IAC)
DD/MM/YYYY
(Signature of the final decision-maker from the Agency)
(Name of the person representing the organization)
(Position)
(Name of the organization in charge of the IAC)
DD/MM/YYYY

Information Access Center Project

◈ Background
Although the development of ICT accelerates, the socially marginalized stay out of access, and the global digital divide is widening. Greater efforts have been made to address the issue, especially since the outbreak of COVID-19, but the gap is still enormous. As part of the efforts to contribute to narrowing the global digital divide, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) of the Republic of Korea are implementing the “IAC Project” to make ICT more accessible globally, IAC serve as crucial hubs for advancing digital transformation efforts at both national and regional levels.

◈ Project Overview and Scope
1. Establishment of IACs
The IAC Project aims to help any beneficiary country establish an IAC, which consists of an ICT training room, an ICT lounge, a video conference room, and an administrative office. The IAC Project is a matching-fund project where NIA makes all preparation for the operation of an IAC and bears all relevant expenses, such as expenses for interior decoration and ICT equipment, while the beneficiary country operates the center and affords all relevant expenses, such as expenses for the hiring of staff and maintenance, and Internet fees. It should be noted that the construction of a space that will accommodate an IAC is NOT included in the project. The beneficiary country has to prepare a space for an IAC.

2. Improvement of IACs
To facilitate the operation of IACs and promote the sustainability of the IAC Project, NIA carries out a maintenance project for IACs. The maintenance project covers the expenses for purchasing or upgrading ICT equipment, EXCLUDING the expenses for maintaining the building or the interior. Once the improvement is over, beneficiary countries should operate the center on their own and bear all relevant expenses. The countries should operate their IACs for at least four years. Once the improvement project is completed, the operation should continue for another four years at least.

◈ Application Process
Submit the Project Concept Paper and an official letter with an authorized signature and seal to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in your country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea, and the National Information Society Agency by the 23rd, August 2024. The MSIT and NIA will review the submitted proposals and conduct feasibility studies in potential partner countries. Based on the results of the feasibility studies, the MSIT and NIA will inform the final partner country via an official letter. NIA will determine the candidate organization and applicable model for an IAC based on the feasibility studies and reviews conducted by an expert group.
For additional information, visit the portal(https://eng.nia.or.kr) or e-mail [email protected].

Project Concept Paper
for the Improvement of an Information Access Center

Section I. Overview
※ Read the instructions and examples written in blue carefully and complete the form in detail. Before submitting the form, please delete the instructions and examples. Handwriting is not acceptable.
Basic Information
Name of country

Ministry
in charge of ODA
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Finance)
Ministry
in charge of IAC
Ministry
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Digitalization)

Name
Write the name of the person in charge of IAC project implementation in the ministry

Department/division


Telephone number
Write a reachable number for communication.

Mobile number


E-mail address
Write a reachable address for communication.

Position

Organization
in charge of IAC
Organization
Write the name of the organization
(e.g., Seoul National University)

Name
Write the name of the person in charge of IAC in the organization

Department/division


Telephone number
Write a reachable number for communication.

Mobile number


E-mail address
Write a reachable address for communication.

Position


Organization Information
Name of
Organization

Date of IAC establishment
MM/DD/YYYY
Introduction
Briefly explain the organization.
IAC Information
Location
Write the full address of the IAC.
Population of the region
○ Write the population of the region based on the official announcement. Please provide the name of the administrative region and the approximate population within a 50-60 km radius, which represents the area where students can reasonably commute for in-person education. Since administrative boundaries vary by country, please determine this based on your local context.
Power supply (Electricity).
Ex) Over 30,000 watts
Network (Internet) capacity
Ex) 50 Mbps
International R&D Network Connection
☞ It is preferable for the IAC building to connect to the international R&D network such as TEIN (for Asian counties), Internet2 (for American countrie, and European counties), directly or indirectly.
Ex1) The building to which the IAC belong is now using the National R&D network of (county name) with 250 Mbps network capacity and the National R&D network is connected to the TEIN.
Ex2) The candidate organization is not using the National R&D network of (county name) but it is connected to the TEIN.
Ex3) There is no National R&D network in (county name) and the organization cannot connect to the international R&D network.
Operating hours
E.g. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day or 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday to Friday
Main users /
avg. users per year
E.g. University students majoring in computer science / 20,000
Operator
Information
Name / position
Tel. / mobile
E-mail









Section II. Environment Analysis
1. Describe your country’s policy priorities in the ICT field.
○ Specify the official titles of the officially announced ICT strategies, policies, roadmaps including the details and the roles of your organizations.



2. Describe the digital divide and digital transformation status in your country and the relevant ICT policies to address the issue.
○ Provide an overview of the issue using disaggregated data and statistics from existing report (refer to ITU Digital Development Dashboard or UN E-Government Survey, etc.) including specific issues and data in the region.

○ Describe how the operation of the IAC has contributed to addressing the issue.




Section III. Operations of the IAC
1. Describe any difficulties or issues regarding the operation of the IAC.
○ Describe in detail any problems or difficulties you may have while operating the IAC. Explain how the improvement project can help resolve the issues for your center, if possible.




2. Describe the condition of the facilities at your IAC.
Location
Devices
Brand/model
Quantity
Condition
ICT
Lounge
○ List all the ICT equipment and devices.


○ Specify the condition of the equipment in detail
(Not working, etc.).
















ICT training room





















Video conference room




















Admin office



















* Facilities may vary in each country, so the form may be modified according to the facility.

ICT Lounge
ICT training room



○ Attach a photo here.








○ Attach a photo here.





Video conference room
Admin. office




○ Attach a photo here.









○ Attach a photo here.


Section IV. Achievements of the IAC
1. Describe the major ICT projects, ICT training courses, and seminars in the last three years.
○ The achievements of the center are considered the most important factor when selecting the partner organization for the IAC improvement project. Describe quantitative figures such as the number of users, and the number of employment or entrepreneurship support cases through the center.








2. Describe the representative outstanding achievements through the IAC.
○ The achievements of the center are considered the most important factor when selecting the partner organization for the IAC improvement project. Describe representative outstanding achievements through ICT education or projects within the center with reference such as YouTube link, press releases, and SNS, etc.




Section V. Improvement Concept of the IAC
1. Yearly plan for the operation of the IAC
○ Write a detailed yearly plan for the IAC’s first-year of operation.

Training course
Date
Description
Beneficiary
Social group
Number of the
Beneficiaries

















2. Required Needed Equipment
○ Describe why the equipment is needed and the utilization purpose of each piece of equipment (e.g., 3D Printer, drone, IoT equipment, etc.
○ Equipment list may be subject to change during the actual implementation of the project.
Product
Need
Quantity











3. Educational demand
☞ The NIA might offer cooperative educational support with Korean ICT experts before and/or after the establishment of an IAC. Please, describe your specific educational demands in detail.
Subjects
Target trainees
Description











4. Describe the specific area of industry that your organization is interested in.
○ State one industry priority that your organization wants to improve through ICT. (Transportation, Manufacturing, Health, Education, Tourism, Agriculture, Finance, etc.)





5. Describe the technologies in the ICT field that you are interested in.
○ State one technology priority that your organization hopes to utilize or introduce.
(AI, Bigdata, IoT, Cloud computing, 5G, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Smart city, etc.)






5. Do you have the intention to reduce the number of supported PCs and enhance existing facilities within the limited budget? If so, specify the enhancement plan.
○ ex) No. We do want to get more PCs rather than facility enhancement.
○ ex) Yes. We do want to get facility enhancement.

○ State the enhancement plan with the purpose of the facilities and equipment like education or R&D or supporting start-ups, etc.





Section VI. Expected Results

1. Expected beneficiaries and benefits
1.1. Expected outcomes for your country
○ Please describe the expected outcomes, and describe the quantitative numerical value if the expected outcomes can be estimated. (e.g., 10% increase in economic effect due to ICT development)



1.2. Expected outcomes to IAC center
○ Please describe the expected outcomes, and describe the quantitative numerical value if the expected outcomes can be estimated. (e.g., 10% increase in income of IAC due to growth in users)







1.3. Expected outcomes for each direct/indirect beneficiary
○ Describe the project’s anticipated target groups and beneficiaries. Specify who are the main users and their approximate number.





2. Expected contribution to the sustainable development goals (SDGs)
2.1. Check the expected contribution to the SDGs below
(https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030.html)
☐ No poverty
☐ Zero hunger
☐ Good health and well-being
☐ Quality education
☐ Gender equality
☐ Clean water and sanitation
☐ Affordable and clean energy
☐ Decent work and economic growth
☐ Industry, innovation, and infrastructure

☐ Reduced inequality
☐ Sustainable cities and communities
☐ Responsible consumption and production
☐ Climate action
☐ Life below water
☐ Life on land
☐ Peace, justice and strong institution
☐ Partnerships to achieve the goal



○ Describe how the project will contribute to achieving the SDGs in terms of the indicators marked above. Explain how the project will bring the anticipated change.
















This report is prepared by
Name

Position

Ministry or organization

Telephone number

Department/division

Mobile number

Fax number

E-mail


☐ I confirm that I thoroughly read and understand the project overview, and the information given in this concept paper is true, complete, and accurate.

(Signature)
(Name of the signee)
DD/MM/YYYY




(Signature)
(Name of the person representing the ministry)
(Position)
(Name of the ministry in charge of IAC)
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(Position)
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Project Concept Paper
For
2026 Korea ICT Leadership Program
(KoIL)






























Contents


I. Program Overview 3

II. Program Details 4
1. Korea ICT Leadership Program 4

Ⅲ. Application 7
1. Qualification Requirements 7
2. Application Process 7
3. Application Form 8















Ⅰ. Program Overview

◈ Introduction

As the use of new information and communication technologies (ICT) is advancing and changing rapidly, there is a grave concern that such uneven change is further widening digital inequality. In an effort to resolve global digital polarization, the Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea (MSIT) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) have operated Korea ICT Leadership Program.

Korea ICT Leadership Program (KoIL) invites public officials, ICT experts, CIO to share the ideas on ICT policy and technology and establish a close network between Korea and the partner country to address challenges on public services through ICT. Since 1998, 5,574 policy-makers from 137 countries have attended the Korea ICT Leadership Program.

◈ Program Objectives

The KoIL Program is designed to strengthen international cooperation and contribute to national informatization of partner countries by providing meetings with public officials and ICT companies in Korea, and planning joint-project with NIA to enhance the ICT policy implementation capacity of policy-makers and improve public services with ICT.

1. Expand international cooperation in the ICT field with Korea

2. Deepen insight on ICT policies and emerging technologies

3. Promote digital transformation by sharing the Korean best practices















Ⅱ. Program Details

◈ Global ICT Leadership Forum

1. Overview

• Duration: 2 days in November, 2026

• Location: Seoul, Korea

• Language: English

• Number of Participants: 10 Government officials

• Target: Government official in ministerial- or vice-ministerial- level of the ministry or agency in charge of ICT

2. Contents

• Meeting with high-level officials in the ministry of Science and ICT and NIA

• Session on ICT policy (Including speeches and panel discussion)

• Study Visit to ICT institutions of Korea

• Culture Experience

3. Support

• Accommodation (5-star hotel in Seoul, Korea)

• Flight fare (Round-trip) and Baggage charge

• Travel and health insurance

• It is allowed for each participant to accompany one entourage during the forum in Korea, and NIA will cover the all expenses for not only participants but also entourages



4. Program Schedule

Date
Events
Venue
Day 1
ICT Session from Korean ICT experts
Seoul, Korea

Panel Discussion

Day 2
Study Visit to ICT institutions of Korea


Cultural Experience



Ⅲ. Application

◈ Qualification Requirements

• Should be a government official (Ministerial or Vice-Ministerial level) of the ministry or agency in charge of ICT
• Be able to communicate with others and write the reports in English
• Do not have any identity issues for staying in Korea

◈ Required Documents

Please prepare listed documents below. The documents should be delivered in two ways: One is via e-mail([email protected]) and the other is official application through the Ministry and the Korean Embassy in your country. Please send an e-mail before you submit the PCP and letter to the Korean Embassy for us to communicate with the Embassy before your submission.
• 1) Application Form
• 2) Official letter from the Ministry or Organization where the candidate belongs with the signature

◈ Application Process

Please submit the Application Form and an Official Letter with the authorized signature and seal through the Embassy of Republic of Korea in your country, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea, and National Information Society Agency by the end of October, 2024.
• 1) Ministry or Organization where the candidate belongs
• 2) Ministry in charge of ODA
• 3) Korean Embassy in your country
• 4) Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Korea
• 5) Ministry of Science and ICT and National Information Society Agency

In 2025, the MSIT and NIA will review the submitted proposals. The MSIT and NIA will send the of official invitation letter to the selected candidates in 2026.

For additional information regarding the project, please contact [email protected].
Application Form
for the Korea ICT Leadership Program

• Type in English and print out, hand-writing is not acceptable



Section I. Participant’s information

Basic Information
Name of Country



Ministry
in charge of ODA



Name



Ministry/Organization



Department/Division



Position



Duties/Responsibilities



Work E-Mail



Personal E-Mail



Telephone Number



Mobile Number






Section II. Qualification

English Proficiency
Listening
☐Excellent ☐Fair ☐Poor
Speaking
☐Excellent ☐Fair ☐Poor
Writing
☐Excellent ☐Fair ☐Poor
Reading
☐Excellent ☐Fair ☐Poor
Mother
Tongue

Other
Language(s)


As English is the official language used for the project, participant’s English proficiency is an important determinant for application approval.

Professional Background (list 3 most previous positions)
Year(from/to)
Organization
Position
Responsibilities
/



/



/




Educational Background (list 3 most previous educations)
Institution
City/Country
Subject
Degree/Year Earned

/

/

/

/

/

/


Section III. Interest Survey

1. Describe your country’s policy priorities in the field of ICT.
○ Describe in detail the national priorities and policies related to the development of ICT and what your organization is doing to achieved those goals






2. Describe the specific area of public services that your government is interested in.
○ State the certain areas of public services that your government want to improve through ICT.
(Transportation, Manufacturing, Health, Education, Tourism, Agriculture, Finance, etc.)




3. Describe the technologies in the ICT field that you are interested in.
○ State the technologies that you are interested in.
(AI, Bigdata, IoT, Cloud computing, 5G, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Smart city, etc.)




4. Describe the projects you are currently cooperating or planning to cooperate with Korean agencies or companies
○ State the title of the projects and the name of the institutes
○ Describe the sub-tasks and the goals of the projects.






This report is prepared by:
Name

Position

Department

Telephone number

Fax number

Email

☐ I confirm that I have read and understood the project overview thoroughly and the information given in this concept paper is true, complete and accurate.

(signature)
(Name of the signee)
DD/MM/YYYY

AI Data Ecosystem Development Project
◈ Background
Recently, as artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly emerged as a central focus in ICT, countries around the world are concentrating their national capabilities on fostering their AI industries. Since the advent of AlphaGo in 2016, the interest in AI has primarily centered around models. Over the years, the global community has strived to overcome the technical challenges of AI through various models based on artificial neural networks, working to develop faster and more efficient models. However, this trend of model-centric AI development has swiftly shifted towards data-centric AI development with the rise of services based on Large Language Models (LLMs), such as chatGPT. At the core of this shift is data. For LLMs to achieve high performance, high-quality, large-scale data is essential. Consequently, leading AI nations are focusing on establishing robust data ecosystems to nurture their AI industries and secure national competitiveness in AI.
Remarkably, given the nature of AI that evolves through continuous learning of new data, establishing a national-level data ecosystem capable of supplying a steady stream of new data is crucial for every country, determining the success of their future AI industry development. Therefore, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) of the Republic of Korea are launching the "AI Data Ecosystem Development Project" to share Korea's extensive experience and expertise accumulated over decades in building a data ecosystem and to enhance global cooperation in the AI sector.
◈ Project Overview
As the importance of data in artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow, countries around the world are either building or preparing to build data ecosystems for AI. However, many of these countries face two main challenges: first, they do not know which steps to take to establish a data ecosystem, and second, they are unsure of the order to carry out the necessary tasks. Countries facing the first challenge spend so much time determining what needs to be done and planning that they fail to start the actual construction of the ecosystem or miss essential components. Countries facing the second challenge might invest significant budgets and efforts into building a data platform in the wrong order, resulting in an incomplete system.
The project includes status analysis, developing a data classification model and a data platform, and training operators and administrators from 2026 to 2029.
To understand the data ecosystem in Korea, please refer to the World Bank publication "Enabling Data-Driven Innovation—Learning from Korea's Data Policies and Practices for Harnessing AI."
◈ Project Objective
This project aims to address these challenges by sharing Korea's experience and expertise in building a data ecosystem comprising a Public Data Platform, Big Data Platform, and AI Data Platform. The goal is to collaborate with partner countries aspiring to develop their AI industries by establishing a suitable data platform based on Korea's proven methodologies. Through this project, we will assist partner countries in effectively and efficiently building their data ecosystems to foster their AI industries.

◈ Project Description
1. Status Analysis & Readiness Diagnosis
The project will analyze the overall data-related status of the partner countries and assess their readiness to establish the most suitable data platform. To achieve this, we will:
1. Conduct a thorough analysis of the partner countries' general ICT status (e.g., broadband penetration rate, internet speed, number of internet users) and data-related conditions (e.g., market size, enterprises, legal frameworks, organizational structures, public-private data platforms).
2. Based on the results of this analysis and referencing Korea's experience, we will determine the appropriate type of platform to be established in the partner countries.
3. Diagnose the partner countries' readiness for each platform element (e.g., governance, laws and regulations, standards, systems, etc.).
2. Development of Data Classification Model
Drawing on the data classification model that underpins Korea's data ecosystem, we will develop a suitable data classification model for the partner countries. This model will consider the function and purpose of the data, including the data producers and managers (public, private), sectors (agriculture, healthcare, education, etc.), and data formats (structured, unstructured, semi-structured). Additionally, we will design the metadata standard considering global standards such as DCAT and Schema.org to facilitate future data exchange and integration across regions, countries, and systems.
3. Development of A Data Platform Desired by the Partner Country
Considering the ICT environment of the partner countries, we will design and develop a data platform tailored to their needs. To ensure future scalability and interoperability, the platform will be designed on a cloud-based architecture. We will develop a "modular data platform" that allows for easy separation and combination of functions (or services), facilitating flexible adaptation and growth.
4. Establishment & Operation of the Project Governance
To successfully establish a national data ecosystem, the involvement of top decision-makers is paramount. Therefore, we will form a "Data Platform Development Project Governance" centered around the top decision-makers participating in this project. This governance body will include data experts from industry, academia, research, and government sectors in the partner countries. Additionally, we will develop detailed operational plans for this governance structure to ensure effective implementation and oversight.
5. Education & Training
After establishing the data platform in the partner countries, we will conduct education and training programs for both users and platform administrators. These programs will be customized based on the roles, levels, and methods (online, offline, hybrid) suitable for the users and administrators. We will design tailored education programs, develop training materials, and deliver personalized education and training sessions to ensure effective utilization and management of the platform.

◈ Application Process
Submit the Project Concept Paper and the official letter with an authorized signature and seal to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in your country through the Ministry in charge of ODA in your country by October 31st, 2024. The MSIT and NIA will review the submitted proposals and conduct feasibility studies in potential countries in 2025. Based on the results of the feasibility studies and the contents of the Project Concept Paper, the Korean Government approved the project in 2026.
1. PCP Submission (~October 2024)
- Please submit the PCP and the official letter from your organization to the Ministry in charge of ODA in your country. If you don’t know which ministry is in charge of ODA in your country, please send us an e-mail.

2. Approval for ODA project (~October 2024)
- Please get approval for the ODA project from the Ministry in charge of ODA and send three documents (PCP, an official letter from your organization, and the other official letter from the ministry in charge of ODA) to the Korean Embassy in your country. Also, please send the PCP and two official letters to us([email protected]) so that we can select the candidate organizations. If you do not submit one of those documents, you will be disadvantaged in the evaluation.

3. Evaluation & Selection (~November 2024)
- The MSIT and the NIA will evaluate the PCPs from partner countries and select two candidate organizations to implement the projects in 2026.

4. Pre-feasibility Study (December 2024 ~ February 2025)
- The MSIT and the NIA will conduct a pre-feasibility study based on the contents of the PCP.
For additional information regarding the project, please send an e-mail to [email protected].









Project Concept Paper
for AI Data Ecosystem Development Project

Section I. Basic Information
※ Read the instructions and examples written in blue carefully and complete the form in detail.
Before submitting the form, please delete the instructions and examples. Handwriting is not acceptable.
Name of country
Write the name of the country
Ministry
in charge of ODA
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Finance)
Ministry
in charge of
this project
Ministry
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Digitalization)

Name
Write the name of the person in charge of this project implementation in the ministry

Department/division


Telephone number
Write a reachable number for communication.

Mobile number


E-mail address
Write a reachable address for communication.

Position


Section II. Platform Selection
※ Select one data platform that your country hopes to introduce. Please click or check the box that you want. If you would like more detailed information about each platform, please refer to the appendix below. For even more comprehensive information, please refer to the World Bank's publication "Enabling Data-Driven Innovation - Learning from Korea’s Data Policies and Practices for Harnessing AI."

No
Select
Platform
Details
1
☐
AI

Replacing traditional paper notifications sent by mail with smartphone-based electronic notifications to significantly reduce administrative costs and achieve a paperless administration
2
☐
Big Data
Real-time monitoring of fine dust emissions and status, and establishment of a data-driven fine dust forecasting.
3
☐
Open Data
Establish a national health information network by implementing and connecting Electronic Medical Record systems across hospitals nationwide, and provide AI-based medical services utilizing the accumulated data.




Section III. Environment Analysis
1. Describe your country’s data industry status.
○ Provide a detailed explanation of the data market trends over the past five years, the current status of data companies, the state of the data workforce, and the existing data platforms in operation. This section is critical as it will serve as foundational information to determine which type of data platform is most urgently needed in your country. Therefore, it is essential to include as many specific figures and statistics as possible.



2. Describe your country’s policy priorities in data.
○ Provide a detailed description of the national data-related policies, including data strategies, master plans, and implementation plans. Given the nature of data, strong government commitment is essential. Therefore, it is important to include information that this project is part of the ongoing or planned government data policies, ensuring it is not a one-time effort but a sustained initiative backed by the government.



3. Describe the data governance in your country.
○ Provide a detailed description of all institutions that constitute national data governance, including national-level governance, a coordination body for supporting national-level governance operations, ministry-level governance, a supporting agency for policy formulation and technical expertise in data, and a dispute resolution body for resolving data-related conflicts.



4. Describe data-related laws and regulations.
○ Explain all laws and regulations related to the openness, utilization, and protection of data, such as the Act on Open Government Data, the Act on Promotion of Big Data Utilization, and the Data Protection Act.



5. Describe data-related standards.
○ Describe the national standards governing metadata standards, data sharing standards, open data standards, and other standards related to data set at the national level.





6. Describe data-related systems.
○ Describe data-related systems operated by both public and private sectors. For example, provide a detailed explanation if there is an operational open government data portal. Additionally, if there are services actively utilized by the private sector, please describe them in detail.




Section IⅤ. Project Proposal
Objective
○ Explain all laws and regulations related to the openness, utilization, and protection of data, such as the Act on Open Government Data, the Act on Promotion of Big Data, and the Data Protection Act.
Specific Data Platform desired to developed
○ Provide a detailed explanation on what platforms will be built for various types of data (public, private), data formats (structured, unstructured, semi-structured), and data domains (agriculture, healthcare, transportation, telecommunications, etc.). It is recommended to provide a detailed description of the current status regarding data in these areas.
Project Governance
○ Given that the strong commitment of the partner country is the most critical factor in successfully establishing a data ecosystem, it is necessary to establish detailed plans for structuring and operating robust project governance that includes heads of the agencies responsible for this project in the partner country, along with participation from experts in academia, industry, and research institutes. This component will play a crucial role in the selection of partner countries in the future.
Operational Maintenance Plan
○ Provide a detailed explanation of how the platform will be operated after its construction.
Other Helpful Information Related to This Project
○ Provide an explanation of other aspects related to this project.



Section Ⅴ. Expected Results
1. Expected Outputs
○ Present and explain measurable indicators, such as the number of platform users and the amount of data downloaded, that can demonstrate the direct effects achievable through the implementation of this project.


2. Expected Outcomes
○ Describe the ultimate outcomes achievable through the implementation of this project. For example, explain the national-level effects of building a data ecosystem, such as improvement in the OECD OURDATA Index ranking.


3. Expected Outcomes for Direct/Indirect Beneficiary
○ Describe the project’s anticipated target groups and beneficiaries. Specify who are the main users and their approximate number.


○ Describe the expected outcomes and benefits that will be achieved through this Project. (e.g., 5% increase in employment rate due to improvement of utilization ability of AI/Data of employees/founders)


























This report is prepared by
Name

Position

Ministry or organization

Telephone number

Department/division

Mobile number

Fax number

E-mail


☐ I confirm that I thoroughly read and understand the project overview, and the information given in this concept paper is true, complete, and accurate.

(Signature)
(Name of the signee)
DD/MM/YYYY



(Signature)
(Name of the person representing the ministry)
(Position)
(Name of the ministry in charge of the IAC)
DD/MM/YYYY












1. Korean Government Open Data Platform (data.go.kr)
◈ Platform Overview
The Government Open Data Platform, launched in 2011, was established to facilitate the public release of data produced and managed by public entities, including central and local governments, as well as public institutions.
< Example of the Government Open Data Platform Interface >

◈ Data Availability and Utilization
Over the past four years (2019-2023), the number of datasets available through the Public Data Platform has increased by 27% annually. As of June 2024, a total of 89,792 datasets are available to the public. Additionally, the utilization of data from the Public Data Platform has seen a significant rise, with an annual increase of 47% over the same period. By 2023, over 60 million instances of data utilization were recorded.
◈ Public Data Availability and Utilization Statistics
Category
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
# of Datasets Available
33,600
55,139
67,441
77,272
87,682
# of Data Utilization
13.14 million
20.84 million
33.34 million
46.97 million
61.17 million
◈ International Recognition
The Government Open Data Platform has been recognized as the world's leading public data platform, achieving the top rank in the OECD Public Data Evaluation for four consecutive assessments in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2023. This consistent performance underscores the platform's commitment to excellence and its pivotal role in advancing public data accessibility and utility on a global scale.

2. Korean Big Data Platform (bigdata-map.kr)
◈ Platform Overview
The Big Data Platform was established to consolidate and facilitate the sharing and trading of high-quality data produced and managed independently by private entities, thereby laying the foundation for a robust data economy at the national level.
◈ Sector-Specific Data Platforms
To cater to the specific characteristics and needs of various sectors such as finance, environment, culture, transportation, healthcare, retail, and telecommunications, 21 distinct sector-specific data platforms have been developed. These platforms consider the unique legal frameworks, operational systems, and other sector-specific attributes.
◈ Data Supply and Ecosystem
To ensure a continuous supply of data, which is crucial for a thriving data ecosystem, each platform operates under the umbrella of 230 data supply centers. These centers consistently provide new data to the platforms shown as the table below.
Domain
Organization
Domain
Organization
Finance
Nota, Nielsen, Vibe
Culture
Yanolja, RedTable, RedTie
Environment
GreenESCO, Novacos, Eco&Partners
Telco
BC Card, Openmate
◈ Data Trading and Services
Each of the 21 Big Data Platforms focuses on facilitating data transactions (sales and purchases) between companies and institutions, aiming to stimulate the data economy.
< Example of the Big Data Platform Interface >

◈ Data Trading and Services
Beyond data trading, the Big Data Platforms offer a range of data-related services including: Basic and advanced data analysis, Data visualization, Showcasing exemplary use cases of data utilization.
3. Korean AI Data Platform (aihub.or.kr)
◈ Platform Overview
The AI Data Platform is designed to be a central hub (AI Hub) for the construction and public dissemination of AI training data, which is a crucial resource in the AI era.
◈ AI Training Data Construction
The AI training data includes source data in text, video, image, and audio formats. This data is transformed into labeled datasets that models can accurately recognize and learn from.
< Example of Different Types of Labeled Data >
Audio/Text
(Korean Speech Audio)
Image
Video
(CCTV Anomaly Detection)



◈ AI Data Portal (AI Hub)
The AI Data Portal (AI Hub) has been developed to allow citizens and companies to easily search, download, and utilize the AI training data. This portal is organized based on a systematic data classification framework.
< Example of the Big Data Platform Interface >

◈ Current Status
Currently, the AI Data Portal offers 706 AI training datasets. On average, around 250 datasets are downloaded daily for learning purposes.

Digital Public Service Innovation Pilot Project
◈ Background
In the digital transformation era, the world recognizes ICT as the foundational SOC (Social Overhead Capital) for all industries. By integrating the latest ICT with various sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, and culture, countries are focusing their national capabilities to enhance efficiency and productivity in operations. In line with these digital transformation trends, governments worldwide strive to integrate advanced ICT into public administration to improve administrative efficiency and provide more convenient services to citizens. Since the early 2000s, the Korean government has implemented various pilot projects to incorporate the latest ICT into administrative services. Korea aims to share its knowledge and experiences by selecting the most successful pilot projects and promoting collaborative initiatives with interested countries.
◈ Project Objective
This project aims to support partner countries in integrating the latest ICT into their public administration, thereby innovating their work processes, increasing operational efficiency, and addressing urgent social issues within their nations.
◈ Project Overview
This project, one of Korea's Official Development Assistance (ODA) programs, aims to integrate the latest ICT technologies into public administration to address social issues and innovate public services. Partner countries will select one of the pilot projects that Korea has successfully implemented and collaborate with Korea to establish the pilot project jointly.
The pilot project includes establishing an Information Strategy Plan (ISP), implementing and operating a pilot digital public service, and training operators and administrators from 2026 to 2027.
Category
Contents
Improving Administrative Efficiency
Public sector innovation services to enhance public administration efficiency through the convergence of digital technologies
Improving Citizen’s Convenience
Services for enhancing citizen convenience and happiness through education, culture, and welfare using digital technologies
Citizen Safety
Services for a safe and healthy life by solving societal risk factors directly related to citizen’s lives with ICT
Promoting New Technologies
Services for creating new value through leading the use of the latest technologies
↑
Artificial Intelligence
Robotics
Digital Twin
Big Data
Metaverse

◈ Project Description
1. Information Strategic Planning (ISP)
First, the NIA will analyze the overall status of public services in the partner country and conduct an assessment to determine the level of suitability for applying public services that best fit the partner country. This will involve an analysis of the partner country's ICT status (such as broadband penetration rate, internet speed, and number of internet users) and public service-related conditions (such as enterprises, legal systems, and organizational structures). Based on the results of this analysis, an Information Strategic Planning (ISP) will be developed to apply a Korean digital public service model in the partner country.
The scope of digital public services applicable to the partner country will be defined, and a systematic plan for implementing this will be developed, including strategies for ICT infrastructure, systems, and data management. Specific action plans will be prepared through goal setting and strategic planning. The principle is to build digital public services based on cloud and modular methodologies.
2. Digital Public Service Pilot Implementation
This phase involves developing digital public services requested by the partner country. Based on pilot projects developed by Korea using the latest ICT, such as AI, IoT, and Big Data, services will be tailored to the specific circumstances of the partner country. While introducing cloud solutions will be prioritized, the development will remain flexible to accommodate the partner country's needs and environment. However, to ensure successful development and future service expansion, the partner country must establish and regularly operate a "service development promotion system" involving participation from industry, academia, research institutes, and government.
3. Establishment & Operation of the Project Governance
The involvement of top decision-makers is paramount to successfully establishing national-level public services. Therefore, a "Digital Public Service Innovation Project" Governance structure needs to be formed around the top decision-makers participating in this project. This governance will also include experts from the partner country's industry, academia, research institutes, and government. Additionally, detailed operational plans for this governance structure will be developed.
4. Education & Training
After establishing public services with the partner country, the NIA will provide education and training to system administrators. Customized education programs will be designed, including the development of teaching materials, based on the roles, levels, and modes of training (online, offline, hybrid) for both system users and administrators.
◈ Application Process
Submit the Project Concept Paper and the official letter with an authorized signature and seal to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in your country by October 31st, 2024. The MSIT and NIA will review the submitted proposals and conduct feasibility studies in potential countries. Based on the results of the feasibility studies and the contents of the Project Concept Paper, the Korean Government approved the project in 2026.
1. PCP Submission (~October 2024)
- Please submit the PCP and the official letter from your organization to the Ministry in charge of ODA in your country. If you don’t know which ministry is in charge of ODA in your country, please send us an e-mail.

2. Approval for ODA project (~October 2024)
- Please get approval for the ODA project from the Ministry in charge of ODA and send three documents (PCP, an official letter from your organization, and the other official letter from the ministry in charge of ODA) to the Korean Embassy in your country. Also, please send the PCP and two official letters to us([email protected]) so that we can select the candidate organizations. If you do not submit one of those documents, you will be disadvantaged in the evaluation.

3. Evaluation & Selection (~November 2024)
- The MSIT and the NIA will evaluate the PCPs from partner countries and select two candidate organizations to implement the projects in 2026.

4. Pre-feasibility Study (December 2024 ~ February 2025)
- The MSIT and the NIA will conduct a pre-feasibility study based on the contents of the PCP.
For additional information regarding the project, please send an e-mail to [email protected].




Project Concept Paper
for Digital Public Service Innovation Project

Section I. Overview
※ Read the instructions and examples written in blue carefully and complete the form in detail. Before submitting the form, please delete the instructions and examples. Handwriting is not acceptable.
Basic Information
Name of country

Ministry
in charge of ODA
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Finance)
Ministry
in charge of this project
Ministry
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Digitalization)

Name
Write the name of the person in charge of this project implementation in the ministry

Department/division


Telephone number
Write a reachable number for communication.

Mobile number


E-mail address
Write a reachable address for communication.

Position















Section II. Service Proposal
※ Select one digital public service that your country hopes to introduce. Please click or check the box that you want. If you would like more detailed information about each service, please refer to the appendix below.
No
Select
Service
Domain
Tech
Details
1
☐
Mobile-Based Smart Notification

Administration
Fintech
Replacing traditional paper notifications sent by mail with smartphone-based electronic notifications to significantly reduce administrative costs and achieve a paperless administration
2
☐
Intelligent Air Pollutant Management and Forecasting
Environment
IoT,
Big Data
Real-time monitoring of fine dust emissions and status, and establishment of a data-driven fine dust forecasting.
3
☐
Nation-wide Health Information Network Based AI Health Service
Healthcare
Big Data,
Data Platform
Establish a national health information network by implementing and connecting Electronic Medical Record systems across hospitals nationwide, and provide AI-based medical services utilizing the accumulated data.
4
☐
National Water Resource Integrated Management
Agriculture,
Environment
IoT,
Big Data
An IoT-based real-time management service for dams and reservoirs nationwide to proactively respond to extreme water resource changes caused by climate change.
5
☐
ICT-based Selection and Analysis of Superior Varieties
Agriculture
IoT,
Big Data
Develop and implement ICT-based technologies, including EMR systems, 3D and spectral imaging for crop analysis, and big data analysis for water resources, to enhance administrative efficiency and disaster response in agriculture and related sectors
6
☐
Online-based Auctions for Agricultural Products
Agriculture
Big Data, AI
Introduce an ICT-based image auction system for agricultural products in public wholesale markets to enhance logistics and auction efficiency, reducing costs and improving space efficiency
7
☐
IoT-based Smart Livestock Farm Integrated Management System
Livestock
IoT,
Big Data
Develop an IoT-based integrated management platform for smart livestock farming to enable interoperability among heterogeneous equipment, enhance facility operations through data analysis, and implement biosensor-based disease surveillance for cattle, resulting in increased production efficiency, cost reduction, and improved disease management
8
☐
Establishment of a Foundation for Remote Healthcare
Healthcare
IoT,
Big Data
Establish remote healthcare services using IoT and big data to improve healthcare accessibility and management for underserved populations, focusing on chronic diseases, through pilot projects, development of a remote healthcare fee structure, and security technology guidelines
9
☐
Remote Healthcare Service for Ocean-going Vessels
Healthcare
IoT,
Big Data
Enhance healthcare access for crew members on ocean-going vessels by installing remote healthcare equipment and providing remote medical consultations, prescriptions, and medication management, thereby reducing costs and improving the welfare of maritime workers
10
☐
After-care Services for Patients with Severe Illnesses Post-discharge
Healthcare
IoT,
Big Data
Develop and validate a smart technology-based After-Care service for patients with severe illnesses post-surgery or discharge, integrating sensor data, life log analysis, management systems, and rehabilitation education to enhance recovery, improve quality of life, and facilitate commercialization and global collaboration.
11
☐
K-Smart Factory Pilot Project
Manufacturing
IoT,
Big Data, Cloud
Enhance the competitiveness of domestic SMEs by developing and piloting smart factory technologies using IoT, big data, and cloud computing in a die-casting factory, focusing on real-time communication, integrated management, and cloud services to optimize production and reduce costs
12
☐
Drone-based Automated Forest Pest and Disease Detection
Environment
IoT,
Big Data, Drone, AI
Combat the spread of pine wilt disease by utilizing drones for data collection and AI for spread prediction, thereby reducing labor and costs while enhancing management and control efforts through integration with existing forest management systems
13
☐
Smart Campus Pilot Project
Education
IoT,
Big Data
Create a smart campus environment using NFC and GPS technologies integrated with smartphones to manage facility usage, track student attendance, and streamline asset management, thereby reducing hardware costs and improving operational efficiency and convenience
14
☐
Store and Market Evaluation Services through Data Analysis
Small Business
IoT,
Big Data
Improve startup success for small businesses by providing comprehensive, data-driven store and market evaluations using information from credit transactions, real estate data, and business licensing records, thus offering tailored insights for better decision-making and expanding analysis coverage for various sectors
15
☐
AI-based Electronic Monitoring Service for Preventing Violent Crimes
Administration, Safety
IoT,
Big Data, AI
Prevent violent crimes by automating routine alerts, enhancing the efficiency of control personnel and probation officers, and providing personalized support for monitored individuals, ultimately reducing labor costs and improving crime prevention through early risk prediction
16
☐
Sign Language Interpretation System
Welfare
Big Data, AI
Provide AI-based sign language interpretation services to address the high illiteracy rate and shortage of interpreters among the hearing impaired, translating government information into sign language videos, and developing a motion recognition system for real-time communication, thereby reducing communication barriers and administrative costs
17
☐
Big Data-based Home Solar Management System
Energy
IoT,
Big Data, AI
Optimize home solar power usage and maintenance by developing a mobile web service that uses IoT to collect and manage generation and usage data, analyze and predict solar power trends with AI, and provide real-time alerts for proactive maintenance, thereby reducing power loss, maintenance costs, and social costs
18
☐
Intelligent Cultural Information Curating Bot
Culture
IoT,
Big Data, AI, Robot, Cloud
Develop autonomous robots equipped with natural language processing to provide multilingual exhibition guidance and translation services in cultural spaces, thereby increasing visitor satisfaction and promoting the use of AI and robotics technology in the private sector
19
☐
AI-based subsurface environment pollution prediction and management
Environment
IoT,
Big Data, AI
Establish an AI-based system for predicting and managing subsurface environmental pollution by installing real-time monitoring sensors, building a comprehensive spatial big data database, and developing AI models to forecast pollution scenarios, thereby reducing management and remediation costs by 30% and enhancing the analysis of vulnerable areas.
20
☐
Iris and Video-based Automated Immigration Inspection for Crew
Administration
IoT,
Big Data, AI
Streamline immigration processing for crew members by developing an intelligent automated immigration inspection system using iris recognition and intelligent CCTV technology, reducing waiting times and operational costs while enhancing security and efficiency
21
☐
Intelligent Road Pavement Condition Prediction and Prevention
Transportation, Safety
IoT,
Big Data, AI
Modernize road pavement management by implementing an AI-based system that uses IoT to collect and analyze road condition data, predict pavement deterioration, and provide automated maintenance recommendations, thereby reducing costs, enhancing public safety, and improving the efficiency of road maintenance


Section III. Background & Status
1. Describe the background and need for the service in your country
○ Describe what led you to choose the service, including need, urgency, etc.




2. Describe current problem and restrictions related to the service in your country
○ Describe the problems with the current service and how to improve it
○ Identify constraints, such as risks that may affect service delivery or require consultation




3. Describe the current status of the target service in your country
○ Describe service-related tasks (business name, performance entity, main content) and processing procedures (processes)




4. Describe the system related to the target service in your country.
○ Describe the system development and operational status related to the service in detail









Section Ⅳ. Implementation Plan
1. Describe the purpose of implementing the public service
○ State what you want to accomplish with the public service and what you hope to achieve with it





2. Describe the conceptual diagram of the target service
○ Describe the target system identifying the service users, target, etc.







3. Describe the details of the target service that you want to develop
○ Write specific details of each component of the system to be developed through the project






4. Describe the legal framework related to the target service (If necessary)
○ Describe the specific response plan (implementation content, timing, method, etc.) to improvements, such as laws, systems, and standardization, as suggested in "Section III -2"




5. Describe the governance regarding the project and target service in your country
○ Write the performance management system and role sharing with the stakeholders involved in the project


6. Describe the project implementation schedule
○ Make a draft schedule from planning to development and operational stages of the project



7. Describe the expected results from the digital public service innovation
○ (Performance Indicators) Discovering performance indicators that can confirm the achievement of the project objectives and presenting annual goals
○ (Expected outcomes) Presenting the overall quantitative and qualitative expected effects of the improvements obtained from the perspective of beneficiaries according to the provision of services developed through the project




This report is prepared by
Name

Position

Ministry or organization

Telephone number

Department/division

Mobile number

Fax number

E-mail


☐ I confirm that I thoroughly read and understand the project overview, and the information given in this concept paper is true, complete, and accurate.

(Signature)
(Name of the signee)
DD/MM/YYYY



(Signature)
(Name of the person representing the ministry)
(Position)
(Name of the ministry in charge of the IAC)
DD/MM/YYYY

Information Access Center Project

◈ Background
Although the development of ICT accelerates, the socially marginalized stay out of access, and the global digital divide is widening. Greater efforts have been made to address the issue, especially since the outbreak of COVID-19, but the gap is still enormous. As part of the efforts to contribute to narrowing the global digital divide, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) of the Republic of Korea are implementing the “IAC Project” to make ICT more accessible globally, IAC serve as crucial hubs for advancing digital transformation efforts at both national and regional levels.

◈ Project Overview and Scope
1. Establishment of IACs
The IAC Project aims to help any beneficiary country establish an IAC, which consists of a digital education room, a digital lounge, a digital meeting room (this space also includes video conferencing facilities), and an administrator’s office. The IAC Project is a matching-fund project where NIA makes all preparation for the operation of an IAC and bears all relevant expenses, such as expenses for interior decoration and ICT equipment, while the beneficiary country operates the center and affords all relevant expenses, such as expenses for the hiring of staff and maintenance, and Internet fees. It should be noted that the construction of a space that will accommodate an IAC is NOT included in the project. The beneficiary country has to prepare a space for an IAC.

2. Improvement of IACs
To facilitate the operation of IACs and promote the sustainability of the IAC Project, NIA carries out a maintenance project for IACs. The maintenance project covers the expenses for purchasing or upgrading ICT equipment, EXCLUDING the expenses for maintaining the space or the interior. Once the improvement is over, beneficiary countries should operate the center on their own and bear all relevant expenses. The countries should operate their IACs for at least four years. Once the improvement project is completed, the operation should continue for another four years at least.

◈ Application Process
Submit the Project Concept Paper and an official letter with an authorized signature and seal to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in your country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea, and the National Information Society Agency by the 23rd, August 2024. The MSIT and NIA will review the submitted proposals and conduct feasibility studies in potential partner countries. Based on the results of the feasibility studies, the MSIT and NIA will inform the final partner country via an official letter. NIA will determine the candidate organization and applicable model for an IAC based on the feasibility studies and reviews conducted by an expert group.
For additional information, visit the portal(https://eng.nia.or.kr) or e-mail [email protected].

Project Concept Paper
for the Establishment of an Information Access Center

Section I. Overview
※ Read the instructions and examples written in blue carefully and complete the form in detail. Before submitting the form, please delete the instructions and examples. Handwriting is not acceptable.
Basic Information
Name of country

Ministry
in charge of ODA
☞ The Ministry oversees ODA projects, representing the country in ODA matters, and directly liaising with the Korean embassy. It holds diplomatic responsibility for this project.
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Finance)
Ministry
in charge of IAC
☞ The Ministry is responsible for implementing the project, with authority to manage the institution where the IAC will be established. It bears legal responsibility if the project fails due to local circumstances.
Ministry
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Digitalization)

Name
Write the name of the person in charge of IAC project implementation in the ministry

Department/division


Telephone number
Write a reachable number for communication.

Mobile number


E-mail address
Write a reachable address for communication.

Position

Candidate Organization and the person in charge of IAC Project
Organization
Write the name of the organization
(e.g., Seoul National University)

Name
Write the name of the person in charge of IAC in the organization

Department/division


Telephone number
Write a reachable number for communication.

Mobile number


E-mail address
Write a reachable address for communication.

Position

※ The organization intending to operate an IAC must have an affiliation with the relevant ministry and obtain permission to establish and operate the IAC throughout the project's duration. Moreover, the building designated for the IAC should be available for a minimum of four years.
Candidate Organization Information in detail
Name of organization

Location
○ Write the full address of the organization.
Location at google maps

Population of the region
○ Write the population of the region based on the official announcement. Please provide the name of the administrative region and the approximate population within a 50-60 km radius, which represents the area where students can reasonably commute for in-person education. Since administrative boundaries vary by country, please determine this based on your local context.
Description
○ Write in detail the purpose and main functions of the organization.
Advantage
○ Describe the organization’s unique values and experiences in detail that will help enhance the quality of the proposed project.
○ Briefly outline the beneficiary’s contributions to the project, both financially and non-financially.
Organization classification
☐Government ☐ Public Organization ☐ University
Section II. Environment Analysis
1. Describe your country’s policy priorities in the ICT field.
○ Describe in detail the national priorities and policies relating to the development of ICT and the role of your organization in that sense.

○ Please specify the exact title of the official policy or strategy document released by your country, and describe the content related to the establishment of the IAC in that document.








2. Describe the digital divide and digital transformation status in your country and the relevant ICT policies to address the issue.
○ Provide an overview of the issue using disaggregated data and statistics from existing reports.
○ Describe who is involved in the project and how much the project contributes to solving the problems identified.







3. Describe the organizational structure of ODA system and process of ODA
○ Specify the official procedures for obtaining approval for ODA projects and receiving official documents through the ministry in charge of ODA.




4. Collaboration with Korea or Other Countries on Similar Infrastructure Projects
○ Please describe any support, collaboration, or partnerships with Korea or any other countries (e.g., France, Japan) on similar infrastructure projects




5. Describe the stakeholder analysis
○ Please visualize the stakeholders' diagram related to the project

Ex)





Section III. The IAC Concept
※ The IAC Establishment project involves indoor construction work. Therefore, the building that is proposed as candidate must be capable of undergoing interior construction including modifications to existing ceilings, floors, and other interior structures.
Information on the IAC site
Location of the IAC site
☞ The IAC Project does not support the construction of a building; thus, the site specified here should be in a building. Write the building address.
Ex) Cheonggyecheon-ro 14, Jung-Gu, Seoul, Repulic of Korea.
Location at google maps
Ex) https://goo.gl/maps/wwoTXnL5XGozWBUb6
Total space of IAC site
☞ The size of the space shall not be less than 300㎡ but not more than 400㎡.
Ex) About 350 ㎡
Year of Construction
☞ It is preferable to propose candidate buildings that were constructed after 1990. If the building is too old to establish an IAC, it will be a deduction factor in evaluating the proposal and changing the candidate building can be required by the NIA.
Ex) The construction year of the IAC site is 2010, and it underwent renovation in 2015.
Ownership of the building
☞ The candidate building should be owned by the operating organization (candidate organization).
Ex) It is owned by “name of the organization”
Accessibility
☞ Write the public transportation and floating population of the area.
Ex) To reach the IAC site, the transportation modes such as public transport, private cars, and taxis can be taken. There is approximately 50,000 population in the locality including the district administration, trade and industry centers, municipality, schools and colleges, corporate and private agencies, and autonomous and business entities.
Power supply
(Electricity)
☞ The IAC site should support a minimum power of 18,000 watts.
Ex) Over 30,000 watts
Network (Internet) capacity
☞ The candidate building should support a minimum 20 Mbps internet connection.
Ex) 50Mbps
International R&D Network Connection
☞ It is preferable for the candidate building to connect to the international R&D network such as TEIN (for Asian counties), Internet2 (for American countries, and Geant (for European counties), directly or indirectly.
Ex1) The candidate organization is now using the National R&D network of (county name) with 250 Mbps network capacity and the National R&D network is connected to the TEIN.
Ex2) The candidate organization is not using the National R&D network of (county name) but it is connected to the TEIN.
Ex3) There is no National R&D network in (county name) and the organization cannot connect to the international R&D network.
If the proposed space structure is unsuitable for the establishment of the IAC space, can the NIA proceed with partial demolition, or other repair of some parts like walls, lights, etc.?
☐ Yes ☐ NO
If the building is determined to be unsuitable, is there an alternative building available in the same region?
☐ Yes ☐ NO

Note : The selection of the IAC site proposed by the relevant country requires an official decision by the Korean government, which may take more than one year. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the overall project timeline and ensure that site recommendations and related processes are aligned with this schedule.

※ The IAC can be designed in two alternative types, based on the specific requirements of the country for which you are applying. Please check ☒ one of the below two available types.
Applicable IAC Types
Type
☐ IAC Lounge
☐ IAC DX
(digital transformation)
Main goal
Providing greater public access to the Internet and offering basic ICT education
Bridging the digital divide through ICT education, enhancing information accessibility in communities, promoting digital literacy and AI research, and supporting innovation, digital skills, startups, and SMEs.
Facilities
Digital education room, Digital lounge, Digital meeting room, Administrators Office, etc..
AI Development Center, Digital education room, Digital lounge, Digital meeting room, Administrators Office
Equipment
※ The total amount of budget for the IAC Lounge and IAC DX is the same.
Laptops or desktops, printers, smart boards, video conferencing systems, VR, etc.

Laptops or desktops, IoT education toolkits, AI/Cloud server, data analysis SW, a video conferencing system, projectors, smart boards, 3D printer, VR, etc.
Requirement or recommendation
Internet speed of over 20 Mbps
Internet speed of over 100 Mbps
※ Cost of Labor and operating expenses such as electricity for running the center are not supported.

Additional applicable IAC Type
Type
☐ IAC Mobile
Main goal
Bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas
Recommended locations
Rural areas
Facilities
Bus
Equipment

Laptops, printers, cabinets, projectors, electronic blackboards, digital podiums, etc.
※ You can apply for the IAC Mobile type separately from the IAC DX and Lounge types. The application for IAC Mobile is independent of the application for IAC Lounge/DX. Please consider choosing this solely in cases where a genuine demand exists.
※ Operating costs such as fuel expenses and driver salaries are not supported.
※ The organization must establish a safety management policy for IAC Mobile.
1. Reason for choosing the IAC Type (IAC Lounge or IAC DX / and IAC Mobile if you selected)
○ Please describe the precise rationales for opting for the IAC Lounge or IAC DX type, considering factors such as national, ministerial, institutional, and local demands. Specify the current status and problems that your organization hopes to solve through IAC as well.

○ Specify the primary purpose of the IAC. (Choose one: enhancing digital accessibility, creating business opportunities, or capacity building)




2. Educational demand
☞ The NIA might offer a cooperative educational support with Korean ICT experts before and/or after establishment of an IAC. Please, describe your specific educational demands in detail.

Subjects
Target trainees
Description











3. Yearly IAC operational plan
○ Write a detailed yearly plan for the IAC’s operation.

2026
Training course
Date
Description
Beneficiary
Social group
Number of the Expect
Beneficiaries
















2027
Training course
Date
Description
Beneficiary
Social group
Number of the Expect
Beneficiaries
















2028
Training course
Date
Description
Beneficiary
Social group
Number of the Expect
Beneficiaries
















4. IAC Administrators
○ Describe how many operators will be involved in this project, and who they are (name, position, etc.), and what their role is.

Name
Position
Roles











5. Photo of the IAC site
○ Attach photos of the building to accommodate an IAC. Note that the IAC Project does not support the construction of a building. The photo should show the building for an IAC.

Bird’s eye view

Photo of the interior of an IAC building

Location map

Floor plan of the building

Floor plan of the IAC site


○ Please submit the files as attachments separately. (ex. Title: Education Room.)

Section III. Expected Results
1. Expected Outcomes/Impacts
1.1. Expected outcomes for your country
○ Please describe the expected outcomes, and describe the quantitative numerical value if the expected outcomes can be estimated. (e.g., 10% increase in economic effect due to ICT development)



1.2. Expected outcomes to IAC center
○ Please describe the expected outcomes, and describe the quantitative numerical value if the expected outcomes can be estimated. (e.g., 10% increase in income of IAC due to growth in users)



1.3. Expected outcomes for each direct/indirect beneficiary
○ Describe the project’s anticipated target groups and beneficiaries. Specify who are the main users and their approximate number.


○ Describe the expected outcomes and benefits that will be achieved through the IAC Project. (e.g., 5% increase in employment rate due to improvement of utilization ability of ICT of employees/founders)



2. Expected contributions to the sustainable development goals (SDGs)
2.1. Check the expected contributions to the SDGs below
(https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030.html)
☐ No poverty
☐ Zero hunger
☐ Good health and well-being
☐ Quality education
☐ Gender equality
☐ Clean water and sanitation
☐ Affordable and clean energy
☐ Decent work and economic growth
☐ Industry, innovation, and infrastructure

☐ Reduced inequality
☐ Sustainable cities and communities
☐ Responsible consumption and production
☐ Climate action
☐ Life below water
☐ Life on land
☐ Peace, justice and strong institution
☐ Partnerships to achieve the goal

○ Describe how the project will contribute to achieving the SDGs in terms of the indicators marked above. Explain how the project will bring the anticipated change.



Section IV. Environmental and Social Safeguard Screening Questionnaires

1. Preliminary questions

[1-1] Is this a development consultation project?
☐ Yes ☐ No

[1-2] Does this project include facility/infrastructure construction?
☐ Yes ☐ No

☞ If your answer to [1-1] is “yes” and your answer to [1-2] is “no,” please do not proceed to No. 2.

2. Project Overview

2-1. Location or address of the project site
〔 〕
2-2. Basic information related to the project including the scale

☐ Drawing/satellite photo (check if attached)

2-3. Major impacts of the project

① Does the project support the construction of a new building, or the extension or repair of an existing building?
☐ Yes (Land area: ) ☐ No ☐ Don’t know

② Will the project change topography or land use?
☐ Yes (Land area: ) ☐ No ☐ Don’t know

③ Will the project include the development or use of water resources?
☐ Yes (Amount: ) ☐ No ☐ Don’t know

④ Will the project cause occurrence of waste?
☐ Yes (Amount: ) ☐ No ☐ Don’t know

⑤ Will the project result in the involuntary relocation of local residents?
☐ Yes (Number of people: ) ☐ No ☐ Don’t know

⑥ Is the project likely to cause complaints from or disputes with local residents?
☐ Yes (Reason: ) ☐ No ☐ Don’t know

3. Whether the project is subject to your country’s requirements for environmental impact assessment, etc.

3-1. Does your country have laws or regulations relating to environmental/social impact assessments?
☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Don’t know
3-2. Is the project subject to an environmental/social impact assessment or other relevant impact assessments under these laws or regulations?
☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Don’t know
☞ If your answer to the above question is “yes” and your country separately categorizes laws or regulations to deal with the environment and society, please state the relevant category.
〔 〕
3-3. If the project is subject to an environmental/social impact assessment and environmental/social management plan, mark where applicable.
☐ Completed ☐ Underway ☐ Scheduled ☐ Not Completed
(date/time: )
4. Characteristics of the project site and the type of the project
4-1. Is the project site located in or adjacent to an area listed below?
☐ Yes ☐ No
☞If your answer to the above question is “yes,” mark all that apply.
☐ Virgin forest or tropical forest
☐ Ecologically important habitat areas (coral reef, mangrove wetland, tidal flats)
☐ Habitat of rare species protected by domestic laws or international treaties
☐ Areas with risk of soil erosion on a large scale
☐ Areas with notable desertification tendency
☐ Government-designated reserve areas such as national parks
☐ Archaeologically, historically, or culturally valuable areas
☐ Living areas of ethnic peoples, indigenous peoples, or nomads who retain a traditional lifestyle
☐ A densely populated area that poses a risk of large-scale involuntary relocation of people
☐ An area with special social value
4-2. Does the project fall under one of the categories listed below?
☐ Yes ☐ No
☞If your answer to the foregoing question is “yes,” please mark all that apply
☐ Hydropower, dams, and reservoirs
☐ Roads, railroads, and bridges
☐ Water supply, sewage treatment
☐ Stream and erosion control
☐ Mining development
☐ Tourism
☐ Forestry
☐ Urban development
☐ Airport/port
☐ Solid waste treatment
☐ Power transmission and distribution lines
☐ Industrial development
☐ Agriculture involving large-scale land clearing or irrigation
☐ Fishery

5. Environmental/social impact

Question
Yes
No
Don’t know
Note
1. Is the project likely to have an impact on an ecologically important or sensitive area nearby (e.g., wetland, stream, coast, mountain, forest)?




2. Is the project likely to have an impact on a natural scenery or geographic feature nearby?




3. Is the project site close to a culturally or historically valuable area?




4. Does the project considerably encroach on an area that needs environmental consideration or alter the surface or physical properties of the nearby land?




5. Does the project require a large amount of water or energy during construction or operation?




6. Will the project require a water supply, sewerage, or transportation that current infrastructure facilities cannot provide?




7. Will the project produce a large amount of waste, particularly of hazardous or toxic nature?




8. Will the project produce a large amount of drain water or air pollutants?




9. Will the project have a serious impact on an important body of water nearby?




10. Is the project likely to have a serious impact on surface/underground water in terms of amount or quality?




11. Does the project require lodging facilities or other accommodations for workers during construction or operation?




12. Does the project require the use of a large amount of fertilizer or pesticide?




13. Does the project involve the introduction of foreign species of wildlife to the area?




14. Does the project involve any risk of turning the area into a habitat for pests or animals carrying infectious diseases?




15. Will the project cause harm to people in a densely populated area nearby due to air pollution, noise, vibrations, or stench?




16. Will the project cause serious soil erosion or degradation due to the location of the project site (e.g., steep slope or vulnerable soil area)?




17. Will the project cause an influx or relocation of a large number of people in the area?




18. Will the project cause the involuntary relocation of a large number of people elsewhere?




19. Will the project cause a change in local residents’ lifestyles?




20. Will the project have a negative impact on cultural heritage/sites in the area?






This report is prepared by
Name

Position

Ministry or organization

Telephone number

Department/division

Mobile number

Fax number

E-mail


☐ I confirm that I thoroughly read and understand the project overview, and the information given in this concept paper is true, complete, and accurate.


(Signature of the document preparer)
(Name of the document preparer)
(Position)
DD/MM/YYYY

Note: The document preparer and the two final decision-makers from each agency must be different individuals. If the conditions are not met, this PCP may not be considered an official PCP




(Signature of the final decision-maker from the Ministry)
(Name of the person representing the ministry)
(Position)
(Name of the ministry in charge of the IAC)
DD/MM/YYYY
(Signature of the final decision-maker from the Agency)
(Name of the person representing the organization)
(Position)
(Name of the organization in charge of the IAC)
DD/MM/YYYY

Information Access Center Project

◈ Background
Although the development of ICT accelerates, the socially marginalized stay out of access, and the global digital divide is widening. Greater efforts have been made to address the issue, especially since the outbreak of COVID-19, but the gap is still enormous. As part of the efforts to contribute to narrowing the global digital divide, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) of the Republic of Korea are implementing the “IAC Project” to make ICT more accessible globally, IAC serve as crucial hubs for advancing digital transformation efforts at both national and regional levels.

◈ Project Overview and Scope
1. Establishment of IACs
The IAC Project aims to help any beneficiary country establish an IAC, which consists of an ICT training room, an ICT lounge, a video conference room, and an administrative office. The IAC Project is a matching-fund project where NIA makes all preparation for the operation of an IAC and bears all relevant expenses, such as expenses for interior decoration and ICT equipment, while the beneficiary country operates the center and affords all relevant expenses, such as expenses for the hiring of staff and maintenance, and Internet fees. It should be noted that the construction of a space that will accommodate an IAC is NOT included in the project. The beneficiary country has to prepare a space for an IAC.

2. Improvement of IACs
To facilitate the operation of IACs and promote the sustainability of the IAC Project, NIA carries out a maintenance project for IACs. The maintenance project covers the expenses for purchasing or upgrading ICT equipment, EXCLUDING the expenses for maintaining the building or the interior. Once the improvement is over, beneficiary countries should operate the center on their own and bear all relevant expenses. The countries should operate their IACs for at least four years. Once the improvement project is completed, the operation should continue for another four years at least.

◈ Application Process
Submit the Project Concept Paper and an official letter with an authorized signature and seal to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in your country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea, and the National Information Society Agency by the 23rd, August 2024. The MSIT and NIA will review the submitted proposals and conduct feasibility studies in potential partner countries. Based on the results of the feasibility studies, the MSIT and NIA will inform the final partner country via an official letter. NIA will determine the candidate organization and applicable model for an IAC based on the feasibility studies and reviews conducted by an expert group.
For additional information, visit the portal(https://eng.nia.or.kr) or e-mail [email protected].

Project Concept Paper
for the Improvement of an Information Access Center

Section I. Overview
※ Read the instructions and examples written in blue carefully and complete the form in detail. Before submitting the form, please delete the instructions and examples. Handwriting is not acceptable.
Basic Information
Name of country

Ministry
in charge of ODA
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Finance)
Ministry
in charge of IAC
Ministry
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Digitalization)

Name
Write the name of the person in charge of IAC project implementation in the ministry

Department/division


Telephone number
Write a reachable number for communication.

Mobile number


E-mail address
Write a reachable address for communication.

Position

Organization
in charge of IAC
Organization
Write the name of the organization
(e.g., Seoul National University)

Name
Write the name of the person in charge of IAC in the organization

Department/division


Telephone number
Write a reachable number for communication.

Mobile number


E-mail address
Write a reachable address for communication.

Position


Organization Information
Name of
Organization

Date of IAC establishment
MM/DD/YYYY
Introduction
Briefly explain the organization.
IAC Information
Location
Write the full address of the IAC.
Population of the region
○ Write the population of the region based on the official announcement. Please provide the name of the administrative region and the approximate population within a 50-60 km radius, which represents the area where students can reasonably commute for in-person education. Since administrative boundaries vary by country, please determine this based on your local context.
Power supply (Electricity).
Ex) Over 30,000 watts
Network (Internet) capacity
Ex) 50 Mbps
International R&D Network Connection
☞ It is preferable for the IAC building to connect to the international R&D network such as TEIN (for Asian counties), Internet2 (for American countrie, and European counties), directly or indirectly.
Ex1) The building to which the IAC belong is now using the National R&D network of (county name) with 250 Mbps network capacity and the National R&D network is connected to the TEIN.
Ex2) The candidate organization is not using the National R&D network of (county name) but it is connected to the TEIN.
Ex3) There is no National R&D network in (county name) and the organization cannot connect to the international R&D network.
Operating hours
E.g. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day or 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday to Friday
Main users /
avg. users per year
E.g. University students majoring in computer science / 20,000
Operator
Information
Name / position
Tel. / mobile
E-mail









Section II. Environment Analysis
1. Describe your country’s policy priorities in the ICT field.
○ Specify the official titles of the officially announced ICT strategies, policies, roadmaps including the details and the roles of your organizations.



2. Describe the digital divide and digital transformation status in your country and the relevant ICT policies to address the issue.
○ Provide an overview of the issue using disaggregated data and statistics from existing report (refer to ITU Digital Development Dashboard or UN E-Government Survey, etc.) including specific issues and data in the region.

○ Describe how the operation of the IAC has contributed to addressing the issue.




Section III. Operations of the IAC
1. Describe any difficulties or issues regarding the operation of the IAC.
○ Describe in detail any problems or difficulties you may have while operating the IAC. Explain how the improvement project can help resolve the issues for your center, if possible.




2. Describe the condition of the facilities at your IAC.
Location
Devices
Brand/model
Quantity
Condition
ICT
Lounge
○ List all the ICT equipment and devices.


○ Specify the condition of the equipment in detail
(Not working, etc.).
















ICT training room





















Video conference room




















Admin office



















* Facilities may vary in each country, so the form may be modified according to the facility.

ICT Lounge
ICT training room



○ Attach a photo here.








○ Attach a photo here.





Video conference room
Admin. office




○ Attach a photo here.









○ Attach a photo here.


Section IV. Achievements of the IAC
1. Describe the major ICT projects, ICT training courses, and seminars in the last three years.
○ The achievements of the center are considered the most important factor when selecting the partner organization for the IAC improvement project. Describe quantitative figures such as the number of users, and the number of employment or entrepreneurship support cases through the center.








2. Describe the representative outstanding achievements through the IAC.
○ The achievements of the center are considered the most important factor when selecting the partner organization for the IAC improvement project. Describe representative outstanding achievements through ICT education or projects within the center with reference such as YouTube link, press releases, and SNS, etc.




Section V. Improvement Concept of the IAC
1. Yearly plan for the operation of the IAC
○ Write a detailed yearly plan for the IAC’s first-year of operation.

Training course
Date
Description
Beneficiary
Social group
Number of the
Beneficiaries

















2. Required Needed Equipment
○ Describe why the equipment is needed and the utilization purpose of each piece of equipment (e.g., 3D Printer, drone, IoT equipment, etc.
○ Equipment list may be subject to change during the actual implementation of the project.
Product
Need
Quantity











3. Educational demand
☞ The NIA might offer cooperative educational support with Korean ICT experts before and/or after the establishment of an IAC. Please, describe your specific educational demands in detail.
Subjects
Target trainees
Description











4. Describe the specific area of industry that your organization is interested in.
○ State one industry priority that your organization wants to improve through ICT. (Transportation, Manufacturing, Health, Education, Tourism, Agriculture, Finance, etc.)





5. Describe the technologies in the ICT field that you are interested in.
○ State one technology priority that your organization hopes to utilize or introduce.
(AI, Bigdata, IoT, Cloud computing, 5G, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Smart city, etc.)






5. Do you have the intention to reduce the number of supported PCs and enhance existing facilities within the limited budget? If so, specify the enhancement plan.
○ ex) No. We do want to get more PCs rather than facility enhancement.
○ ex) Yes. We do want to get facility enhancement.

○ State the enhancement plan with the purpose of the facilities and equipment like education or R&D or supporting start-ups, etc.





Section VI. Expected Results

1. Expected beneficiaries and benefits
1.1. Expected outcomes for your country
○ Please describe the expected outcomes, and describe the quantitative numerical value if the expected outcomes can be estimated. (e.g., 10% increase in economic effect due to ICT development)



1.2. Expected outcomes to IAC center
○ Please describe the expected outcomes, and describe the quantitative numerical value if the expected outcomes can be estimated. (e.g., 10% increase in income of IAC due to growth in users)







1.3. Expected outcomes for each direct/indirect beneficiary
○ Describe the project’s anticipated target groups and beneficiaries. Specify who are the main users and their approximate number.





2. Expected contribution to the sustainable development goals (SDGs)
2.1. Check the expected contribution to the SDGs below
(https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030.html)
☐ No poverty
☐ Zero hunger
☐ Good health and well-being
☐ Quality education
☐ Gender equality
☐ Clean water and sanitation
☐ Affordable and clean energy
☐ Decent work and economic growth
☐ Industry, innovation, and infrastructure

☐ Reduced inequality
☐ Sustainable cities and communities
☐ Responsible consumption and production
☐ Climate action
☐ Life below water
☐ Life on land
☐ Peace, justice and strong institution
☐ Partnerships to achieve the goal



○ Describe how the project will contribute to achieving the SDGs in terms of the indicators marked above. Explain how the project will bring the anticipated change.
















This report is prepared by
Name

Position

Ministry or organization

Telephone number

Department/division

Mobile number

Fax number

E-mail


☐ I confirm that I thoroughly read and understand the project overview, and the information given in this concept paper is true, complete, and accurate.

(Signature)
(Name of the signee)
DD/MM/YYYY




(Signature)
(Name of the person representing the ministry)
(Position)
(Name of the ministry in charge of IAC)
DD/MM/YYYY
(Signature)
(Name of the person representing the organization)
(Position)
(Name of the organization in charge of IAC)
DD/MM/YYYY



Project Concept Paper
For
2026 Korea ICT Leadership Program
(KoIL)






























Contents


I. Program Overview 3

II. Program Details 4
1. Korea ICT Leadership Program 4

Ⅲ. Application 7
1. Qualification Requirements 7
2. Application Process 7
3. Application Form 8















Ⅰ. Program Overview

◈ Introduction

As the use of new information and communication technologies (ICT) is advancing and changing rapidly, there is a grave concern that such uneven change is further widening digital inequality. In an effort to resolve global digital polarization, the Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea (MSIT) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) have operated Korea ICT Leadership Program.

Korea ICT Leadership Program (KoIL) invites public officials, ICT experts, CIO to share the ideas on ICT policy and technology and establish a close network between Korea and the partner country to address challenges on public services through ICT. Since 1998, 5,574 policy-makers from 137 countries have attended the Korea ICT Leadership Program.

◈ Program Objectives

The KoIL Program is designed to strengthen international cooperation and contribute to national informatization of partner countries by providing meetings with public officials and ICT companies in Korea, and planning joint-project with NIA to enhance the ICT policy implementation capacity of policy-makers and improve public services with ICT.

1. Expand international cooperation in the ICT field with Korea

2. Deepen insight on ICT policies and emerging technologies

3. Promote digital transformation by sharing the Korean best practices















Ⅱ. Program Details

◈ Global ICT Leadership Forum

1. Overview

• Duration: 2 days in November, 2026

• Location: Seoul, Korea

• Language: English

• Number of Participants: 10 Government officials

• Target: Government official in ministerial- or vice-ministerial- level of the ministry or agency in charge of ICT

2. Contents

• Meeting with high-level officials in the ministry of Science and ICT and NIA

• Session on ICT policy (Including speeches and panel discussion)

• Study Visit to ICT institutions of Korea

• Culture Experience

3. Support

• Accommodation (5-star hotel in Seoul, Korea)

• Flight fare (Round-trip) and Baggage charge

• Travel and health insurance

• It is allowed for each participant to accompany one entourage during the forum in Korea, and NIA will cover the all expenses for not only participants but also entourages



4. Program Schedule

Date
Events
Venue
Day 1
ICT Session from Korean ICT experts
Seoul, Korea

Panel Discussion

Day 2
Study Visit to ICT institutions of Korea


Cultural Experience



Ⅲ. Application

◈ Qualification Requirements

• Should be a government official (Ministerial or Vice-Ministerial level) of the ministry or agency in charge of ICT
• Be able to communicate with others and write the reports in English
• Do not have any identity issues for staying in Korea

◈ Required Documents

Please prepare listed documents below. The documents should be delivered in two ways: One is via e-mail([email protected]) and the other is official application through the Ministry and the Korean Embassy in your country. Please send an e-mail before you submit the PCP and letter to the Korean Embassy for us to communicate with the Embassy before your submission.
• 1) Application Form
• 2) Official letter from the Ministry or Organization where the candidate belongs with the signature

◈ Application Process

Please submit the Application Form and an Official Letter with the authorized signature and seal through the Embassy of Republic of Korea in your country, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea, and National Information Society Agency by the end of October, 2024.
• 1) Ministry or Organization where the candidate belongs
• 2) Ministry in charge of ODA
• 3) Korean Embassy in your country
• 4) Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Korea
• 5) Ministry of Science and ICT and National Information Society Agency

In 2025, the MSIT and NIA will review the submitted proposals. The MSIT and NIA will send the of official invitation letter to the selected candidates in 2026.

For additional information regarding the project, please contact [email protected].
Application Form
for the Korea ICT Leadership Program

• Type in English and print out, hand-writing is not acceptable



Section I. Participant’s information

Basic Information
Name of Country



Ministry
in charge of ODA



Name



Ministry/Organization



Department/Division



Position



Duties/Responsibilities



Work E-Mail



Personal E-Mail



Telephone Number



Mobile Number






Section II. Qualification

English Proficiency
Listening
☐Excellent ☐Fair ☐Poor
Speaking
☐Excellent ☐Fair ☐Poor
Writing
☐Excellent ☐Fair ☐Poor
Reading
☐Excellent ☐Fair ☐Poor
Mother
Tongue

Other
Language(s)


As English is the official language used for the project, participant’s English proficiency is an important determinant for application approval.

Professional Background (list 3 most previous positions)
Year(from/to)
Organization
Position
Responsibilities
/



/



/




Educational Background (list 3 most previous educations)
Institution
City/Country
Subject
Degree/Year Earned

/

/

/

/

/

/


Section III. Interest Survey

1. Describe your country’s policy priorities in the field of ICT.
○ Describe in detail the national priorities and policies related to the development of ICT and what your organization is doing to achieved those goals






2. Describe the specific area of public services that your government is interested in.
○ State the certain areas of public services that your government want to improve through ICT.
(Transportation, Manufacturing, Health, Education, Tourism, Agriculture, Finance, etc.)




3. Describe the technologies in the ICT field that you are interested in.
○ State the technologies that you are interested in.
(AI, Bigdata, IoT, Cloud computing, 5G, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Smart city, etc.)




4. Describe the projects you are currently cooperating or planning to cooperate with Korean agencies or companies
○ State the title of the projects and the name of the institutes
○ Describe the sub-tasks and the goals of the projects.






This report is prepared by:
Name

Position

Department

Telephone number

Fax number

Email

☐ I confirm that I have read and understood the project overview thoroughly and the information given in this concept paper is true, complete and accurate.

(signature)
(Name of the signee)
DD/MM/YYYY

AI Data Ecosystem Development Project
◈ Background
Recently, as artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly emerged as a central focus in ICT, countries around the world are concentrating their national capabilities on fostering their AI industries. Since the advent of AlphaGo in 2016, the interest in AI has primarily centered around models. Over the years, the global community has strived to overcome the technical challenges of AI through various models based on artificial neural networks, working to develop faster and more efficient models. However, this trend of model-centric AI development has swiftly shifted towards data-centric AI development with the rise of services based on Large Language Models (LLMs), such as chatGPT. At the core of this shift is data. For LLMs to achieve high performance, high-quality, large-scale data is essential. Consequently, leading AI nations are focusing on establishing robust data ecosystems to nurture their AI industries and secure national competitiveness in AI.
Remarkably, given the nature of AI that evolves through continuous learning of new data, establishing a national-level data ecosystem capable of supplying a steady stream of new data is crucial for every country, determining the success of their future AI industry development. Therefore, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) of the Republic of Korea are launching the "AI Data Ecosystem Development Project" to share Korea's extensive experience and expertise accumulated over decades in building a data ecosystem and to enhance global cooperation in the AI sector.
◈ Project Overview
As the importance of data in artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow, countries around the world are either building or preparing to build data ecosystems for AI. However, many of these countries face two main challenges: first, they do not know which steps to take to establish a data ecosystem, and second, they are unsure of the order to carry out the necessary tasks. Countries facing the first challenge spend so much time determining what needs to be done and planning that they fail to start the actual construction of the ecosystem or miss essential components. Countries facing the second challenge might invest significant budgets and efforts into building a data platform in the wrong order, resulting in an incomplete system.
The project includes status analysis, developing a data classification model and a data platform, and training operators and administrators from 2026 to 2029.
To understand the data ecosystem in Korea, please refer to the World Bank publication "Enabling Data-Driven Innovation—Learning from Korea's Data Policies and Practices for Harnessing AI."
◈ Project Objective
This project aims to address these challenges by sharing Korea's experience and expertise in building a data ecosystem comprising a Public Data Platform, Big Data Platform, and AI Data Platform. The goal is to collaborate with partner countries aspiring to develop their AI industries by establishing a suitable data platform based on Korea's proven methodologies. Through this project, we will assist partner countries in effectively and efficiently building their data ecosystems to foster their AI industries.

◈ Project Description
1. Status Analysis & Readiness Diagnosis
The project will analyze the overall data-related status of the partner countries and assess their readiness to establish the most suitable data platform. To achieve this, we will:
1. Conduct a thorough analysis of the partner countries' general ICT status (e.g., broadband penetration rate, internet speed, number of internet users) and data-related conditions (e.g., market size, enterprises, legal frameworks, organizational structures, public-private data platforms).
2. Based on the results of this analysis and referencing Korea's experience, we will determine the appropriate type of platform to be established in the partner countries.
3. Diagnose the partner countries' readiness for each platform element (e.g., governance, laws and regulations, standards, systems, etc.).
2. Development of Data Classification Model
Drawing on the data classification model that underpins Korea's data ecosystem, we will develop a suitable data classification model for the partner countries. This model will consider the function and purpose of the data, including the data producers and managers (public, private), sectors (agriculture, healthcare, education, etc.), and data formats (structured, unstructured, semi-structured). Additionally, we will design the metadata standard considering global standards such as DCAT and Schema.org to facilitate future data exchange and integration across regions, countries, and systems.
3. Development of A Data Platform Desired by the Partner Country
Considering the ICT environment of the partner countries, we will design and develop a data platform tailored to their needs. To ensure future scalability and interoperability, the platform will be designed on a cloud-based architecture. We will develop a "modular data platform" that allows for easy separation and combination of functions (or services), facilitating flexible adaptation and growth.
4. Establishment & Operation of the Project Governance
To successfully establish a national data ecosystem, the involvement of top decision-makers is paramount. Therefore, we will form a "Data Platform Development Project Governance" centered around the top decision-makers participating in this project. This governance body will include data experts from industry, academia, research, and government sectors in the partner countries. Additionally, we will develop detailed operational plans for this governance structure to ensure effective implementation and oversight.
5. Education & Training
After establishing the data platform in the partner countries, we will conduct education and training programs for both users and platform administrators. These programs will be customized based on the roles, levels, and methods (online, offline, hybrid) suitable for the users and administrators. We will design tailored education programs, develop training materials, and deliver personalized education and training sessions to ensure effective utilization and management of the platform.

◈ Application Process
Submit the Project Concept Paper and the official letter with an authorized signature and seal to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in your country through the Ministry in charge of ODA in your country by October 31st, 2024. The MSIT and NIA will review the submitted proposals and conduct feasibility studies in potential countries in 2025. Based on the results of the feasibility studies and the contents of the Project Concept Paper, the Korean Government approved the project in 2026.
1. PCP Submission (~October 2024)
- Please submit the PCP and the official letter from your organization to the Ministry in charge of ODA in your country. If you don’t know which ministry is in charge of ODA in your country, please send us an e-mail.

2. Approval for ODA project (~October 2024)
- Please get approval for the ODA project from the Ministry in charge of ODA and send three documents (PCP, an official letter from your organization, and the other official letter from the ministry in charge of ODA) to the Korean Embassy in your country. Also, please send the PCP and two official letters to us([email protected]) so that we can select the candidate organizations. If you do not submit one of those documents, you will be disadvantaged in the evaluation.

3. Evaluation & Selection (~November 2024)
- The MSIT and the NIA will evaluate the PCPs from partner countries and select two candidate organizations to implement the projects in 2026.

4. Pre-feasibility Study (December 2024 ~ February 2025)
- The MSIT and the NIA will conduct a pre-feasibility study based on the contents of the PCP.
For additional information regarding the project, please send an e-mail to [email protected].









Project Concept Paper
for AI Data Ecosystem Development Project

Section I. Basic Information
※ Read the instructions and examples written in blue carefully and complete the form in detail.
Before submitting the form, please delete the instructions and examples. Handwriting is not acceptable.
Name of country
Write the name of the country
Ministry
in charge of ODA
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Finance)
Ministry
in charge of
this project
Ministry
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Digitalization)

Name
Write the name of the person in charge of this project implementation in the ministry

Department/division


Telephone number
Write a reachable number for communication.

Mobile number


E-mail address
Write a reachable address for communication.

Position


Section II. Platform Selection
※ Select one data platform that your country hopes to introduce. Please click or check the box that you want. If you would like more detailed information about each platform, please refer to the appendix below. For even more comprehensive information, please refer to the World Bank's publication "Enabling Data-Driven Innovation - Learning from Korea’s Data Policies and Practices for Harnessing AI."

No
Select
Platform
Details
1
☐
AI

Replacing traditional paper notifications sent by mail with smartphone-based electronic notifications to significantly reduce administrative costs and achieve a paperless administration
2
☐
Big Data
Real-time monitoring of fine dust emissions and status, and establishment of a data-driven fine dust forecasting.
3
☐
Open Data
Establish a national health information network by implementing and connecting Electronic Medical Record systems across hospitals nationwide, and provide AI-based medical services utilizing the accumulated data.




Section III. Environment Analysis
1. Describe your country’s data industry status.
○ Provide a detailed explanation of the data market trends over the past five years, the current status of data companies, the state of the data workforce, and the existing data platforms in operation. This section is critical as it will serve as foundational information to determine which type of data platform is most urgently needed in your country. Therefore, it is essential to include as many specific figures and statistics as possible.



2. Describe your country’s policy priorities in data.
○ Provide a detailed description of the national data-related policies, including data strategies, master plans, and implementation plans. Given the nature of data, strong government commitment is essential. Therefore, it is important to include information that this project is part of the ongoing or planned government data policies, ensuring it is not a one-time effort but a sustained initiative backed by the government.



3. Describe the data governance in your country.
○ Provide a detailed description of all institutions that constitute national data governance, including national-level governance, a coordination body for supporting national-level governance operations, ministry-level governance, a supporting agency for policy formulation and technical expertise in data, and a dispute resolution body for resolving data-related conflicts.



4. Describe data-related laws and regulations.
○ Explain all laws and regulations related to the openness, utilization, and protection of data, such as the Act on Open Government Data, the Act on Promotion of Big Data Utilization, and the Data Protection Act.



5. Describe data-related standards.
○ Describe the national standards governing metadata standards, data sharing standards, open data standards, and other standards related to data set at the national level.





6. Describe data-related systems.
○ Describe data-related systems operated by both public and private sectors. For example, provide a detailed explanation if there is an operational open government data portal. Additionally, if there are services actively utilized by the private sector, please describe them in detail.




Section IⅤ. Project Proposal
Objective
○ Explain all laws and regulations related to the openness, utilization, and protection of data, such as the Act on Open Government Data, the Act on Promotion of Big Data, and the Data Protection Act.
Specific Data Platform desired to developed
○ Provide a detailed explanation on what platforms will be built for various types of data (public, private), data formats (structured, unstructured, semi-structured), and data domains (agriculture, healthcare, transportation, telecommunications, etc.). It is recommended to provide a detailed description of the current status regarding data in these areas.
Project Governance
○ Given that the strong commitment of the partner country is the most critical factor in successfully establishing a data ecosystem, it is necessary to establish detailed plans for structuring and operating robust project governance that includes heads of the agencies responsible for this project in the partner country, along with participation from experts in academia, industry, and research institutes. This component will play a crucial role in the selection of partner countries in the future.
Operational Maintenance Plan
○ Provide a detailed explanation of how the platform will be operated after its construction.
Other Helpful Information Related to This Project
○ Provide an explanation of other aspects related to this project.



Section Ⅴ. Expected Results
1. Expected Outputs
○ Present and explain measurable indicators, such as the number of platform users and the amount of data downloaded, that can demonstrate the direct effects achievable through the implementation of this project.


2. Expected Outcomes
○ Describe the ultimate outcomes achievable through the implementation of this project. For example, explain the national-level effects of building a data ecosystem, such as improvement in the OECD OURDATA Index ranking.


3. Expected Outcomes for Direct/Indirect Beneficiary
○ Describe the project’s anticipated target groups and beneficiaries. Specify who are the main users and their approximate number.


○ Describe the expected outcomes and benefits that will be achieved through this Project. (e.g., 5% increase in employment rate due to improvement of utilization ability of AI/Data of employees/founders)


























This report is prepared by
Name

Position

Ministry or organization

Telephone number

Department/division

Mobile number

Fax number

E-mail


☐ I confirm that I thoroughly read and understand the project overview, and the information given in this concept paper is true, complete, and accurate.

(Signature)
(Name of the signee)
DD/MM/YYYY



(Signature)
(Name of the person representing the ministry)
(Position)
(Name of the ministry in charge of the IAC)
DD/MM/YYYY












1. Korean Government Open Data Platform (data.go.kr)
◈ Platform Overview
The Government Open Data Platform, launched in 2011, was established to facilitate the public release of data produced and managed by public entities, including central and local governments, as well as public institutions.
< Example of the Government Open Data Platform Interface >

◈ Data Availability and Utilization
Over the past four years (2019-2023), the number of datasets available through the Public Data Platform has increased by 27% annually. As of June 2024, a total of 89,792 datasets are available to the public. Additionally, the utilization of data from the Public Data Platform has seen a significant rise, with an annual increase of 47% over the same period. By 2023, over 60 million instances of data utilization were recorded.
◈ Public Data Availability and Utilization Statistics
Category
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
# of Datasets Available
33,600
55,139
67,441
77,272
87,682
# of Data Utilization
13.14 million
20.84 million
33.34 million
46.97 million
61.17 million
◈ International Recognition
The Government Open Data Platform has been recognized as the world's leading public data platform, achieving the top rank in the OECD Public Data Evaluation for four consecutive assessments in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2023. This consistent performance underscores the platform's commitment to excellence and its pivotal role in advancing public data accessibility and utility on a global scale.

2. Korean Big Data Platform (bigdata-map.kr)
◈ Platform Overview
The Big Data Platform was established to consolidate and facilitate the sharing and trading of high-quality data produced and managed independently by private entities, thereby laying the foundation for a robust data economy at the national level.
◈ Sector-Specific Data Platforms
To cater to the specific characteristics and needs of various sectors such as finance, environment, culture, transportation, healthcare, retail, and telecommunications, 21 distinct sector-specific data platforms have been developed. These platforms consider the unique legal frameworks, operational systems, and other sector-specific attributes.
◈ Data Supply and Ecosystem
To ensure a continuous supply of data, which is crucial for a thriving data ecosystem, each platform operates under the umbrella of 230 data supply centers. These centers consistently provide new data to the platforms shown as the table below.
Domain
Organization
Domain
Organization
Finance
Nota, Nielsen, Vibe
Culture
Yanolja, RedTable, RedTie
Environment
GreenESCO, Novacos, Eco&Partners
Telco
BC Card, Openmate
◈ Data Trading and Services
Each of the 21 Big Data Platforms focuses on facilitating data transactions (sales and purchases) between companies and institutions, aiming to stimulate the data economy.
< Example of the Big Data Platform Interface >

◈ Data Trading and Services
Beyond data trading, the Big Data Platforms offer a range of data-related services including: Basic and advanced data analysis, Data visualization, Showcasing exemplary use cases of data utilization.
3. Korean AI Data Platform (aihub.or.kr)
◈ Platform Overview
The AI Data Platform is designed to be a central hub (AI Hub) for the construction and public dissemination of AI training data, which is a crucial resource in the AI era.
◈ AI Training Data Construction
The AI training data includes source data in text, video, image, and audio formats. This data is transformed into labeled datasets that models can accurately recognize and learn from.
< Example of Different Types of Labeled Data >
Audio/Text
(Korean Speech Audio)
Image
Video
(CCTV Anomaly Detection)



◈ AI Data Portal (AI Hub)
The AI Data Portal (AI Hub) has been developed to allow citizens and companies to easily search, download, and utilize the AI training data. This portal is organized based on a systematic data classification framework.
< Example of the Big Data Platform Interface >

◈ Current Status
Currently, the AI Data Portal offers 706 AI training datasets. On average, around 250 datasets are downloaded daily for learning purposes.

Digital Public Service Innovation Pilot Project
◈ Background
In the digital transformation era, the world recognizes ICT as the foundational SOC (Social Overhead Capital) for all industries. By integrating the latest ICT with various sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, and culture, countries are focusing their national capabilities to enhance efficiency and productivity in operations. In line with these digital transformation trends, governments worldwide strive to integrate advanced ICT into public administration to improve administrative efficiency and provide more convenient services to citizens. Since the early 2000s, the Korean government has implemented various pilot projects to incorporate the latest ICT into administrative services. Korea aims to share its knowledge and experiences by selecting the most successful pilot projects and promoting collaborative initiatives with interested countries.
◈ Project Objective
This project aims to support partner countries in integrating the latest ICT into their public administration, thereby innovating their work processes, increasing operational efficiency, and addressing urgent social issues within their nations.
◈ Project Overview
This project, one of Korea's Official Development Assistance (ODA) programs, aims to integrate the latest ICT technologies into public administration to address social issues and innovate public services. Partner countries will select one of the pilot projects that Korea has successfully implemented and collaborate with Korea to establish the pilot project jointly.
The pilot project includes establishing an Information Strategy Plan (ISP), implementing and operating a pilot digital public service, and training operators and administrators from 2026 to 2027.
Category
Contents
Improving Administrative Efficiency
Public sector innovation services to enhance public administration efficiency through the convergence of digital technologies
Improving Citizen’s Convenience
Services for enhancing citizen convenience and happiness through education, culture, and welfare using digital technologies
Citizen Safety
Services for a safe and healthy life by solving societal risk factors directly related to citizen’s lives with ICT
Promoting New Technologies
Services for creating new value through leading the use of the latest technologies
↑
Artificial Intelligence
Robotics
Digital Twin
Big Data
Metaverse

◈ Project Description
1. Information Strategic Planning (ISP)
First, the NIA will analyze the overall status of public services in the partner country and conduct an assessment to determine the level of suitability for applying public services that best fit the partner country. This will involve an analysis of the partner country's ICT status (such as broadband penetration rate, internet speed, and number of internet users) and public service-related conditions (such as enterprises, legal systems, and organizational structures). Based on the results of this analysis, an Information Strategic Planning (ISP) will be developed to apply a Korean digital public service model in the partner country.
The scope of digital public services applicable to the partner country will be defined, and a systematic plan for implementing this will be developed, including strategies for ICT infrastructure, systems, and data management. Specific action plans will be prepared through goal setting and strategic planning. The principle is to build digital public services based on cloud and modular methodologies.
2. Digital Public Service Pilot Implementation
This phase involves developing digital public services requested by the partner country. Based on pilot projects developed by Korea using the latest ICT, such as AI, IoT, and Big Data, services will be tailored to the specific circumstances of the partner country. While introducing cloud solutions will be prioritized, the development will remain flexible to accommodate the partner country's needs and environment. However, to ensure successful development and future service expansion, the partner country must establish and regularly operate a "service development promotion system" involving participation from industry, academia, research institutes, and government.
3. Establishment & Operation of the Project Governance
The involvement of top decision-makers is paramount to successfully establishing national-level public services. Therefore, a "Digital Public Service Innovation Project" Governance structure needs to be formed around the top decision-makers participating in this project. This governance will also include experts from the partner country's industry, academia, research institutes, and government. Additionally, detailed operational plans for this governance structure will be developed.
4. Education & Training
After establishing public services with the partner country, the NIA will provide education and training to system administrators. Customized education programs will be designed, including the development of teaching materials, based on the roles, levels, and modes of training (online, offline, hybrid) for both system users and administrators.
◈ Application Process
Submit the Project Concept Paper and the official letter with an authorized signature and seal to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in your country by October 31st, 2024. The MSIT and NIA will review the submitted proposals and conduct feasibility studies in potential countries. Based on the results of the feasibility studies and the contents of the Project Concept Paper, the Korean Government approved the project in 2026.
1. PCP Submission (~October 2024)
- Please submit the PCP and the official letter from your organization to the Ministry in charge of ODA in your country. If you don’t know which ministry is in charge of ODA in your country, please send us an e-mail.

2. Approval for ODA project (~October 2024)
- Please get approval for the ODA project from the Ministry in charge of ODA and send three documents (PCP, an official letter from your organization, and the other official letter from the ministry in charge of ODA) to the Korean Embassy in your country. Also, please send the PCP and two official letters to us([email protected]) so that we can select the candidate organizations. If you do not submit one of those documents, you will be disadvantaged in the evaluation.

3. Evaluation & Selection (~November 2024)
- The MSIT and the NIA will evaluate the PCPs from partner countries and select two candidate organizations to implement the projects in 2026.

4. Pre-feasibility Study (December 2024 ~ February 2025)
- The MSIT and the NIA will conduct a pre-feasibility study based on the contents of the PCP.
For additional information regarding the project, please send an e-mail to [email protected].




Project Concept Paper
for Digital Public Service Innovation Project

Section I. Overview
※ Read the instructions and examples written in blue carefully and complete the form in detail. Before submitting the form, please delete the instructions and examples. Handwriting is not acceptable.
Basic Information
Name of country

Ministry
in charge of ODA
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Finance)
Ministry
in charge of this project
Ministry
Write the name of the ministry
(e.g., Ministry of Digitalization)

Name
Write the name of the person in charge of this project implementation in the ministry

Department/division


Telephone number
Write a reachable number for communication.

Mobile number


E-mail address
Write a reachable address for communication.

Position















Section II. Service Proposal
※ Select one digital public service that your country hopes to introduce. Please click or check the box that you want. If you would like more detailed information about each service, please refer to the appendix below.
No
Select
Service
Domain
Tech
Details
1
☐
Mobile-Based Smart Notification

Administration
Fintech
Replacing traditional paper notifications sent by mail with smartphone-based electronic notifications to significantly reduce administrative costs and achieve a paperless administration
2
☐
Intelligent Air Pollutant Management and Forecasting
Environment
IoT,
Big Data
Real-time monitoring of fine dust emissions and status, and establishment of a data-driven fine dust forecasting.
3
☐
Nation-wide Health Information Network Based AI Health Service
Healthcare
Big Data,
Data Platform
Establish a national health information network by implementing and connecting Electronic Medical Record systems across hospitals nationwide, and provide AI-based medical services utilizing the accumulated data.
4
☐
National Water Resource Integrated Management
Agriculture,
Environment
IoT,
Big Data
An IoT-based real-time management service for dams and reservoirs nationwide to proactively respond to extreme water resource changes caused by climate change.
5
☐
ICT-based Selection and Analysis of Superior Varieties
Agriculture
IoT,
Big Data
Develop and implement ICT-based technologies, including EMR systems, 3D and spectral imaging for crop analysis, and big data analysis for water resources, to enhance administrative efficiency and disaster response in agriculture and related sectors
6
☐
Online-based Auctions for Agricultural Products
Agriculture
Big Data, AI
Introduce an ICT-based image auction system for agricultural products in public wholesale markets to enhance logistics and auction efficiency, reducing costs and improving space efficiency
7
☐
IoT-based Smart Livestock Farm Integrated Management System
Livestock
IoT,
Big Data
Develop an IoT-based integrated management platform for smart livestock farming to enable interoperability among heterogeneous equipment, enhance facility operations through data analysis, and implement biosensor-based disease surveillance for cattle, resulting in increased production efficiency, cost reduction, and improved disease management
8
☐
Establishment of a Foundation for Remote Healthcare
Healthcare
IoT,
Big Data
Establish remote healthcare services using IoT and big data to improve healthcare accessibility and management for underserved populations, focusing on chronic diseases, through pilot projects, development of a remote healthcare fee structure, and security technology guidelines
9
☐
Remote Healthcare Service for Ocean-going Vessels
Healthcare
IoT,
Big Data
Enhance healthcare access for crew members on ocean-going vessels by installing remote healthcare equipment and providing remote medical consultations, prescriptions, and medication management, thereby reducing costs and improving the welfare of maritime workers
10
☐
After-care Services for Patients with Severe Illnesses Post-discharge
Healthcare
IoT,
Big Data
Develop and validate a smart technology-based After-Care service for patients with severe illnesses post-surgery or discharge, integrating sensor data, life log analysis, management systems, and rehabilitation education to enhance recovery, improve quality of life, and facilitate commercialization and global collaboration.
11
☐
K-Smart Factory Pilot Project
Manufacturing
IoT,
Big Data, Cloud
Enhance the competitiveness of domestic SMEs by developing and piloting smart factory technologies using IoT, big data, and cloud computing in a die-casting factory, focusing on real-time communication, integrated management, and cloud services to optimize production and reduce costs
12
☐
Drone-based Automated Forest Pest and Disease Detection
Environment
IoT,
Big Data, Drone, AI
Combat the spread of pine wilt disease by utilizing drones for data collection and AI for spread prediction, thereby reducing labor and costs while enhancing management and control efforts through integration with existing forest management systems
13
☐
Smart Campus Pilot Project
Education
IoT,
Big Data
Create a smart campus environment using NFC and GPS technologies integrated with smartphones to manage facility usage, track student attendance, and streamline asset management, thereby reducing hardware costs and improving operational efficiency and convenience
14
☐
Store and Market Evaluation Services through Data Analysis
Small Business
IoT,
Big Data
Improve startup success for small businesses by providing comprehensive, data-driven store and market evaluations using information from credit transactions, real estate data, and business licensing records, thus offering tailored insights for better decision-making and expanding analysis coverage for various sectors
15
☐
AI-based Electronic Monitoring Service for Preventing Violent Crimes
Administration, Safety
IoT,
Big Data, AI
Prevent violent crimes by automating routine alerts, enhancing the efficiency of control personnel and probation officers, and providing personalized support for monitored individuals, ultimately reducing labor costs and improving crime prevention through early risk prediction
16
☐
Sign Language Interpretation System
Welfare
Big Data, AI
Provide AI-based sign language interpretation services to address the high illiteracy rate and shortage of interpreters among the hearing impaired, translating government information into sign language videos, and developing a motion recognition system for real-time communication, thereby reducing communication barriers and administrative costs
17
☐
Big Data-based Home Solar Management System
Energy
IoT,
Big Data, AI
Optimize home solar power usage and maintenance by developing a mobile web service that uses IoT to collect and manage generation and usage data, analyze and predict solar power trends with AI, and provide real-time alerts for proactive maintenance, thereby reducing power loss, maintenance costs, and social costs
18
☐
Intelligent Cultural Information Curating Bot
Culture
IoT,
Big Data, AI, Robot, Cloud
Develop autonomous robots equipped with natural language processing to provide multilingual exhibition guidance and translation services in cultural spaces, thereby increasing visitor satisfaction and promoting the use of AI and robotics technology in the private sector
19
☐
AI-based subsurface environment pollution prediction and management
Environment
IoT,
Big Data, AI
Establish an AI-based system for predicting and managing subsurface environmental pollution by installing real-time monitoring sensors, building a comprehensive spatial big data database, and developing AI models to forecast pollution scenarios, thereby reducing management and remediation costs by 30% and enhancing the analysis of vulnerable areas.
20
☐
Iris and Video-based Automated Immigration Inspection for Crew
Administration
IoT,
Big Data, AI
Streamline immigration processing for crew members by developing an intelligent automated immigration inspection system using iris recognition and intelligent CCTV technology, reducing waiting times and operational costs while enhancing security and efficiency
21
☐
Intelligent Road Pavement Condition Prediction and Prevention
Transportation, Safety
IoT,
Big Data, AI
Modernize road pavement management by implementing an AI-based system that uses IoT to collect and analyze road condition data, predict pavement deterioration, and provide automated maintenance recommendations, thereby reducing costs, enhancing public safety, and improving the efficiency of road maintenance


Section III. Background & Status
1. Describe the background and need for the service in your country
○ Describe what led you to choose the service, including need, urgency, etc.




2. Describe current problem and restrictions related to the service in your country
○ Describe the problems with the current service and how to improve it
○ Identify constraints, such as risks that may affect service delivery or require consultation




3. Describe the current status of the target service in your country
○ Describe service-related tasks (business name, performance entity, main content) and processing procedures (processes)




4. Describe the system related to the target service in your country.
○ Describe the system development and operational status related to the service in detail









Section Ⅳ. Implementation Plan
1. Describe the purpose of implementing the public service
○ State what you want to accomplish with the public service and what you hope to achieve with it





2. Describe the conceptual diagram of the target service
○ Describe the target system identifying the service users, target, etc.







3. Describe the details of the target service that you want to develop
○ Write specific details of each component of the system to be developed through the project






4. Describe the legal framework related to the target service (If necessary)
○ Describe the specific response plan (implementation content, timing, method, etc.) to improvements, such as laws, systems, and standardization, as suggested in "Section III -2"




5. Describe the governance regarding the project and target service in your country
○ Write the performance management system and role sharing with the stakeholders involved in the project


6. Describe the project implementation schedule
○ Make a draft schedule from planning to development and operational stages of the project



7. Describe the expected results from the digital public service innovation
○ (Performance Indicators) Discovering performance indicators that can confirm the achievement of the project objectives and presenting annual goals
○ (Expected outcomes) Presenting the overall quantitative and qualitative expected effects of the improvements obtained from the perspective of beneficiaries according to the provision of services developed through the project




This report is prepared by
Name

Position

Ministry or organization

Telephone number

Department/division

Mobile number

Fax number

E-mail


☐ I confirm that I thoroughly read and understand the project overview, and the information given in this concept paper is true, complete, and accurate.

(Signature)
(Name of the signee)
DD/MM/YYYY



(Signature)
(Name of the person representing the ministry)
(Position)
(Name of the ministry in charge of the IAC)
DD/MM/YYYY