Korea Quarterly Update: May-July 2006 www.asiafoundation.or.kr
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	Table of Contents:   A. THE ASIA FOUNDATION IN KOREA   B. HIGHLIGHTS FROM ASIA
	THE ASIA FOUNDATION IN KOREA Upcoming & Recent Events Upcoming Events Public Forum on Korea-Vietnam Economic Relations * 한국-베트남 경제 관계 포럼 개최 The Asia Foundation is planning to organize a conference on Korea-Vietnam economic relations in September. The Asia Foundation representative to Vietnam will visit Korea to participate in the conference, along with experts on Korea-Vietnam relations. Recent Events Public Forum on China-Korea Relations * 한-중 관계 세미나 개최 On June 13, The Asia Foundation and the Friends of The Asia Foundation co-sponsored a public forum on “China and Korea: Partners or Competitors” at the Seoul Press Center. The forum brought in experts from around the region and the United States to discuss China-Korea economic relations, strategic issues in China-Korea relations and implications for the United States. The forum was co-hosted by Samsung Economic Research Institute. Bangladesh Parliamentary Delegation Visits Korea to Learn about SME Development * 방글라데시 의원단 한국 방문 The Asia Foundation hosted a delegation of Members of Parliament of Bangladesh from May 18-20. The delegation visited Korea to learn about the development of small and medium enterprises and Korea’s policies to promote SMEs. The delegation visited the National Assembly, the Small Business Corporation, and the Small and Medium Business Administration during their visit. KIEP and TAF conference on Knowledge Sharing for North Korea’s Economic Development * 지식 공유를 통한 북한 경제 개발 관련 포럼 개최 The Korea Institute for Economic Policy and The Asia Foundation co-sponsored a public forum on “Knowledge Sharing for Economic Development in North Korea” on June 29. North Korea specialists from Korea and abroad gathered to compare and discuss their experience with training and exchanges in support of economic change and opening in North Korea. Workshop for Korean Government Officials in Washington D.C. * 한국정부관계자, 워싱턴 D.C. 워크샵 참여 The Asia Foundation Offices in Korea and Washington D.C. collaborated with the KDI School to organize a workshop for Korean officials from various branches of the government in Washington D.C., July 11-July 12. The Korean officials met with their U.S. counterparts and visited the State Department and other offices to broaden their networks and exchange views on security and economic issues. North Korea Program Activities * 북한 방문 TAF Executive Vice-President and Korea Representative Visit Pyongyang * 아시아재단 부총재와 한국지부 대표 평양 방문 From June 5-10, Barnett Baron and Edward Reed visited Pyongyang to discuss and plan next steps in the agricultural and educational exchange programs with North Korea. Visit to Kaesong Industrial Park * 아시아재단 대표 개성공단 방문 The Asia Foundation representative Edward Reed and Program Officer Chun-Sang Moon joined a tour of the Kaesong Industrial Park across the DMZ in North Korea, organized by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), in order to gain first-hand knowledge of the most substantial South-North Korea initiative for economic cooperation. Observation Tour to Bangladesh * 방글라데시 소재 NGO 시찰 Senior Program Officer Kyung-sook Lee participated in the KOICA observation tour to Bangladesh where she met with international donor agencies, local NGOs, international organizations and Korean NGOs to learn about their development assistance programs, including scale and capacity of NGOs in Bangladesh as well as knowledge and information sharing among international organizations and local NGOs in Bangladesh. Asia Foundation News The Asia Foundation Releases New Human Trafficking Research * 캄보디아 인신매매 연구 현황에 관한 분석 The Asia Foundation released a comprehensive assessment of research on human trafficking in Cambodia titled, “The Review of a Decade of Research on Trafficking in Persons, Cambodia.” The Review provides a comprehensive assessment of more than 70 research studies, highlighting what is and what is not known about human trafficking in Cambodia. It analyzes past studies, identifies gaps in information, offers suggestions for future research, and calls upon the counter-trafficking community to work together to create a solid base of knowledge that will inform and strengthen future efforts to counter trafficking in Cambodia. Later this month, a companion e-database, featuring 72 studies analyzed in the review, will be launched, allowing counter-trafficking stakeholders in Cambodia to share their own research and findings. To view this report, please follow this link: http://www.asiafoundation.org/pdf/CB_TIPreview.pdf 2006 Forum on Prospects in Asia * 아시아의 미래 전망 - 변화하는 미-일 안보 협력 체계와 아시아 태평양 지역에 미치는 영향 In order to better understand the implications of the changing US-Japan security and cooperation framework in the Asia-Pacific region and to explore the possibility of establishing a regional Confidence Building Mechanism (CBM), the Asia Foundation in Taiwan is planning to organize an annual Forum on Prospects in Asia. High profile speakers from the US, Japan, and Korea will be invited to participate in the symposium along with Taiwanese experts and government officials. The Asia Foundation's President Participates in World Economic Forum on East Asia * 아시아재단 총재 세계경제포럼 참여 Doug Bereuter, President of The Asia Foundation, joined 300 influential corporate, government, and civil society leaders at the World Economic Forum on East Asia to discuss how to best meet the most pressing challenges of the region. Mr. Bereuter was a featured speaker on panels that addressed community building and energy efficiency in East Asia.? One of the sessions in which Bereuter participated was "An East Asian Community: Is there a Design that Can Deliver," which also included Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak of Malaysia; Sadako Ogata, President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency; Ong Keng-Yong, Secretary-General of ASEAN; Mari Pangestu, Minister of Trade of Indonesia; and Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.
	B. HIGHLIGHTS FROM ASIA The Asia Foundation Announces Agreement with United Nations To Strengthen Democratic Governance in Afghanistan * UNDP, 아시아재단에 아프가니스탄 집행부 역량 강화를 위한 사업비 지원 The United Nations Development Programme awarded The Asia Foundation $10.6 million to support the development of central executive institutions involving the Office of the President in Afghanistan. This award will be used to strengthen the Office of Administrative Affairs, the Council of Ministers Secretariat, and the Presidential Chief of Staff Office's capacity by upgrading their organizational structures, procedures, office equipment and facilities, information technology, and policy coordination processes. Since 2002, the Foundation has assisted governance activities that include the Emergency Loya Jirga, constitutional process, 2004 presidential elections, and 2005 parliamentary elections. The Asia Foundation Launches the 2006 Vietnam Provincial Competitiveness Index * 2006 베트남 지방 경쟁력 조사 발표 In an effort to break business barriers in Vietnam, The Asia Foundation announced the largest and most comprehensive survey of Vietnam's business perceptions of the performance of provincial governments. The Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) provides the first-ever full ranking and assessment of provinces based on their regulatory environments to improve private sector growth. The 2006 PCI -- developed and implemented by The Asia Foundation and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a part of the larger USAID-funded Vietnam Competitiveness Initiative project managed by Development Alternatives, Inc. -- polled over 6,300 Vietnamese private sector firms in all 64 provinces, enabling them to voice their concerns and experiences with their respective provincial governments.
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	Korea Quarterly Update: May-July 2006 www.asiafoundation.or.kr