It is said that no nation can develop beyond the capacity of its public service. Capacity building in terms of knowledge and skill acquisition, strategic leadership, good governance, fiscal management and sustainability, is essential to promote quality public service.

It is for this reason that the Global Government Officials Seminar on International Policy was designed for capacity building and interaction between international government officials studying at the KDI School and newly recruited G5 officials (Korean entry-level managerial officials who passed the higher civil service examination). This year, the seminar held from August 20th to 23rd and was hosted at the KDI School of Public Policy and Management & Central Officials Training Institute (COTI). COTI is a renowned training institute operated by the Ministry of Administration and Security to offer specialized training for Korea’s central government employees. The Institute fosters network building through international training and co-operation with foreign countries and the private sector.

The four day program began on Tuesday with an opening ceremony at COTI. Representatives from the KDI School were warmly welcomed to the institute with a roaring ovation from the G5 officials and soon, participants began to interact and know each other. The seminar started with a special lecture session on New Public Management reforms of Korean Civil Service by Yoon Byeong Soo, the Director of COTI. Thereafter, Prof Pan Suk Kim of Yonsei University lectured on Public Trust and Governance. Taking a cue from the “octopus bike” of Salzburg, he illustrated how communication and collaboration are essential for good governance. Participants were divided into ten (10) groups for discussions and presentations on the essential elements needed for public trust and good governance.  

The next day, the seminar held at the KDI School. The first lecture on Strategic Leadership for Collaborative Challenges was given by Prof. Changyong Choi of the KDI School. Prof. Hyeok Jeong, also of the KDI School, lectured on KOREA''S ODA: Trends and Issues. The seminar ended with overall discussions and presentations which offered an opportunity for interaction between Korean government officials and international students. Eunji Kim (2013 G5 official, Finance and Economy) opined that the discussions were impressive as they provided her the opportunity to look into a variety of current policy issues and gain new perspectives from international government officials.

Thursday was the most interesting of all. The seminar began with a lecture by Prof. Dukgeun Ahn , of Seoul National University. He spoke on Free Trade Agreements and Economic Integration with a focus on the Asian and trans-pacific FTA networks and what the future holds for FTAs. Discussions and presentations were made on various FTA negotiations among China, Japan, South and North Korea. The team building activity held later in the day was fun packed! All participants were grouped and trained on various cultural arts. In a few hours, participants turned professionals and were able to display hidden talents at playing drums, belly dancing and rendering traditional music in acapella. After the performance, a networking party followed.

Every participant had an unforgettable experience learning about international policies and Korea. Woojin Lee (2013 G5 official, International Trade) attests that the conference was a great experience for government officials from Korea and the rest of the world to meet. The cultural events and community service provided a good way for interaction.

The program ended on Friday with community service. Participants had the opportunity to experience the everyday life of less privileged Korean citizens. A wide range of volunteer services were carried out. They include serving as medical assistants in hospitals; feeding the elderly; showing love to underprivileged children and carrying out manual labor when necessary. By working directly with the public, leadership capacity and empathy were instilled in participants. Sam Dzanku (2013, MDP Ghana) commended the organizers by saying that the volunteer service was an awesome experience for him as it motivated him to have an unflinching sense of duty and responsibility as a public official to the needs of his society.

From the words of Roland Kaseke (2013, MDP Zimbabwe), the conference allowed for international students to appreciate how the Korean public administration has been successful. The volunteer work and team building exercises were great as participants from different countries and administrative backgrounds were able to share important views on topical government business through stimulated and informative discussions.

By Mercy CHIME (2013 MDP, Nigeria)