The G20 Leadership Program is a short-term executive training program being co-hosted by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the KDI School of Public Policy and Management. It is generally held up to four times a year, and the first program of the year was held at the KDI School of Public Policy and Management campus in Seoul from March 3^rd to March 14^th, 2014.

This two week program saw 27 experienced managers and stakeholders who are working in various ministries from 25 countries come together to participate in the program. This special training program was made by the Korean government as an integral part of its commitment to the G20 Seoul Development Consensus for Shared Growth to add value to and complement existing development commitments. The aim of the program is to enable all participants, who are experienced managers working in development and G-20 agenda settings to enhance their contributions towards reaching G-20 development agenda set at the G-20 Seoul Summit in 2010 and to drive the force in implementing action plans to ensure continuity is established at each subsequent summit.

The participants came together to learn about Korea’s economic development experiences and to share with each other their relevant experiences for the purpose of solving the complex challenges in the contemporary globalization to achieve sustainable development worldwide.  

A range of development related lectures were provided in this first G-20 Leadership Program. Among others, the topic on Food Security and Development, Employment and Social Protection, International Financial Institution Reforms, and Infrastructure Development were covered by experienced professors. From these Korean experiences, participants also learned about Human Development Policy, Trade and Industrial Policy, and Public and Private sectors by focusing on competition policies.

Besides learning in class, participants were taken for field research and study in order to witness firsthand Korea’s development experiences. The most important sites that was key to the Korean development were introduced, such as POSCO, Hyundai Heavy Industries and Motor Company, and SK Lubricants.

After actively participating in this two week program, all participants went back home and were expected to apply their knowledge in helping overcome the current development challenges in their own countries as well as around the globe.

By Sopheana Bronh (2013 MPP, Cambodia)