Korea International Cooperation Agency

What Korea International Cooperation Agency does

Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is a quasi-governmental institution under the Government of the Republic of Korea, established in 1991 to administer South Korea's bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA). Headquartered in Seongnam, it implements country projects, fellowship training, humanitarian assistance, volunteer dispatch (World Friends Korea), public-private partnerships, and multilateral programs across 116 partner countries spanning Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East and Central Asia. Korea joined the OECD Development Assistance Committee in 2010, anchoring KOICA within the donor-country peer group.

KOICA's core programmatic stack comprises the integrated DEEP project cycle (expert dispatch, training invitations, equipment provision, infrastructure, and technical assistance over 2-5 year horizons), the CIAT Fellowship Program for human resources development, the World Friends Korea volunteer dispatch program, and a newer set of Development Innovation instruments (Creative Technology Solution, Inclusive Business Solution, and Innovative Partnership Solution) that bring startups and corporate partners into ODA delivery. The agency also co-implements the Global Disease Eradication Fund, financed by an air-ticket solidarity levy, and the Development Alliance Korea (DAK) public-private partnership framework.

KOICA operates as a non-commercial entity: it does not charge beneficiary governments and instead is funded through Korea's national ODA budget, with total disclosed ODA disbursement on the order of $636 million. Income is allocated rather than earned, with strategic direction set by Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance, which conducts annual performance evaluations of quasi-governmental institutions. As of June 2026, the agency faced governance turbulence following a 'very insufficient' performance rating and a dismissal recommendation for its head, Jang Won-sam, under the Lee Jae-myung administration's first public-institution evaluation.

Name

Korea International Cooperation Agency

Legal name

Korea International Cooperation Agency

Website

https://koica.go.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is the Republic of Korea's official bilateral development assistance agency, delivering grant-funded ODA projects, fellowships, volunteer dispatch, and public-private partnerships across 116 partner countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Development Cooperation

NAICS

International Affairs (92812), International Affairs (928120), National Security and International Affairs (928)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Country Development Assistance Programs (Bilateral ODA) (BPADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Donor Coordination, Monitoring & Evaluation (MEL) Programs (BPADABAN), Economic Growth, Trade & Private Sector Development Programs (BPADABAF), Education, Skills & Workforce Development Aid Programs (BPADABAE), Climate, Environment & Natural Resource Management Aid Programs (BPADABAI), Infrastructure, Energy & Urban Development Aid Programs (BPADABAJ), Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO), Development Cooperation & Foreign Aid Administration (BPAIAIAG), Official Development Assistance (ODA) Program Management (BPADAOAC)

Keywords

• Official development assistance
• Development cooperation
• Humanitarian aid
• Capacity building programs
• International development projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Seongnam

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Official Development Assistance (ODA): KOICA receives government funding to implement development cooperation projects. As a government agency, it does not generate revenue from services but operates on allocated national budget for foreign aid and development cooperation programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KOICA implements South Korea's Official Development Assistance (ODA) programs across 116 partner countries through bilateral country projects that integrate expert dispatch, training invitations, equipment provision, infrastructure building, and technical assistance. It also operates invitation-based fellowship training (CIAT), volunteer dispatch (World Friends Korea), humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, multilateral cooperation with international organizations, and public-private partnership programs (DAK).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• World Friends Korea: KOICA's volunteer dispatch program sending volunteers to developing countries in areas including education, vocational training, agriculture, health, sanitation and rural development.
• CIAT Fellowship Program
• KOICA ABC Program

Products and services

• Project and Development Consulting (DEEP)

Quantifiable outcome

• 746 public officials from 74 countries trained through anti-corruption programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Korea Western PowercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2026Co-organizer of second Uzbekistan-Korea International Energy Forum focused on renewable energy development and investment opportunities.
• World Food Programme (WFP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026CODE4FOOD Security Fellowship Programme in Ghana providing AI, machine learning and digital innovation training to address food security challenges.
• Blossom AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Technology training partner for CODE4FOOD Fellowship Programme delivering data analytics and AI training in Ghana.
• UNFCCC Technology MechanismflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026Hosting partnership for AI for Climate Action Award 2026 recognizing open-source AI solutions for climate adaptation in LDCs and SIDS, with prize at COP31 in Antalya.
• Enterprise NeurosystemminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026Pitch coaching provider for UNFCCC AI for Climate Action Award finalists.
• Digital Public Goods AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026Training provider on digital public goods for semifinalists of UNFCCC AI for Climate Action Award.
• Korea Foundation for International HealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026Co-host of WHO memorial ceremony for late Director-General Lee Jong-wook at Geneva headquarters.
• Korea Rural Development AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026Joint research with Bolivia's National Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Innovation on customized farm machinery for high-altitude terrain.
• LOGODI (Korea Ministry of Interior and Safety)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2026Capacity-building program on public-sector innovation and digital transformation for Sri Lankan government officials, third phase of multiyear international training project.
• Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Rare example of two advanced ODA donor countries cooperating on development project for third nation (Tajikistan). Joint tourism education training program in Dushanbe marking a new model of cultural ODA cooperation.
• Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026Joint organizer of S-Quad Project providing urban development training for Mongolian officials with Korea-Mongolia Urban Cooperation Center at Seoul National University.
• Korea-Mongolia Urban Cooperation Center at Seoul National UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026Joint organizer of urban development training program for Mongolian public officials covering sustainable urban planning and housing policy.
• APC ColombiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2026Triangular cooperation framework for Latin America and Caribbean focused on digital governance, environmental issues, and innovation. Colombia serves as important partner leading South-South and triangular cooperation in the region.
• UNICEFflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Partnership for Korea's Global AI Hub initiative developing AI-based solutions for humanitarian challenges. Korea ranks as UNICEF's sixth largest global donor contributing $228.5 million annually.
• Hyundai Motor CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Workforce development program (2026-2030) in Vietnam focused on training skilled automotive workers. Hyundai designs curricula for production processes while KOICA oversees program operations.
• Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026Joint implementation of Vietnam climate technology finance project through 2027, improving access to climate technology finance for SMEs and startups.
• Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and TrainingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2026Technical support partner for India shipbuilding skills development project conducting workforce mapping and skill gap assessments.
• Galaxy Backbone LimitedcoreTechnology or Integration · 30 March 2026Nigeria government enterprise architecture portal development with KOICA support, hosted by Galaxy Backbone as infrastructure provider for coordinated digital governance.
• World Food Programme (WFP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2026Partnership for digital capacity and financial inclusion in Ghana targeting women and youth through Village Savings and Loan Associations with smartphone distribution.
• NITDA (National Information Technology Development Agency)coreTechnology or Integration · 27 March 2026Completed 2.5 year collaboration on Nigeria Government Enterprise Architecture (NGEA) infrastructure handover, designed to enable seamless data exchange across government agencies.
• Jeonbuk National UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Training of Trainers program in Colombia for Innovation Entrepreneurship Education Capacity-Building Project, training SENA instructors on technology-based entrepreneurship.
• SENA ColombiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Colombia's vocational training institution receiving technology-based entrepreneurship education training from Jeonbuk National University under KOICA partnership.
• NITDA (National Information Technology Development Agency)coreTechnology or Integration · 15 December 2025Nigeria digital identity registration support with 350 NIMC-certified Android NIN enrolment devices delivered to improve digital ID access in underserved communities.
• Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) of KoreacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2025Co-organized anti-corruption capacity-building training program for Zimbabwean government officials sharing Korea's Comprehensive Integrity Assessment and Corruption Impact Assessment frameworks.
• Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) of KoreacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2025Five-day anti-corruption training program for Ethiopian Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, sharing Korea's Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and Conflict of Interest Prevention Act.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme): Multilateral development agency operating globally across all of KOICA's priority sectors. While not a direct bilateral peer, UNDP is a key partner through KOICA's multilateral cooperation channel and provides the multilateral counterpoint to bilateral ODA delivery.

Broad incumbents

• United States Agency for International Development (USAID): USA's primary bilateral development assistance agency and the largest ODA agency globally. While much larger in budget and scope, USAID shares KOICA's bilateral model, country office footprint, and program categories including health, governance, education, and climate.
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO): UK's combined foreign affairs and development ministry, administering DFID's successor bilateral ODA portfolio. A much larger and more established peer with overlapping sector priorities in education, health, governance, and climate.
• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT): Australia's foreign affairs ministry administering its bilateral ODA program (formerly AusAID). Comparable as a mid-sized DAC donor with focus on Indo-Pacific governance, education, and infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA): Japan's official bilateral development assistance agency, structurally the closest peer to KOICA—both are non-DAC-origin Asian bilateral ODA agencies, focused on infrastructure, education, health, and governance projects across Asia and Africa, with volunteer and fellowship programs (JICA Volunteer vs. World Friends Korea).
• Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA): Sweden's bilateral development agency implementing ODA across governance, human rights, environment, and economic development. Comparable in mid-sized DAC donor profile and partnership-based delivery model.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ): Germany's federal agency for international development cooperation, implementing bilateral ODA on behalf of the German government across 120+ countries. Operates training programs, technical cooperation, and capacity building closely paralleling KOICA's DEEP and CIAT programs.
• Agence Française de Développement (AFD): France's bilateral development finance institution, combining grants and concessional loans for development projects across education, health, climate, and governance. Comparable to KOICA's blended finance approach through co-financing with KEXIM.
• Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD): Norway's bilateral development agency with comparable emphasis on climate, education, governance, and human rights. Comparable in governance framework and project-based delivery through partner countries.
• Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA): Turkey's bilateral development agency, a particularly close peer given the recent 2026 KOICA-TIKA triangular cooperation on tourism training in Tajikistan. Comparable scope, emerging-donor profile, and regional focus on Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/officialKOICA
• Facebookfacebook.com/officialKOICA
• Instagraminstagram.com/officialkoica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/koica-embassy-of-the-republic-of-korea-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments47 records

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Frequently asked questions about Korea International Cooperation Agency