[International Relations News] Seoul-UNDP to Share Seoul’s CCS with Five Developing Countries
□ In collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) is planning to share its Clean Construction System (CCS) with five developing countries – Vietnam (Da Nang City), Thailand, Ukraine, Uganda, and Jordan.
□ After the CCS was introduced at the joint “International Workshop for Public Construction Transparency: Sharing Korea’s Clean Construction System & Initiatives around the World” hosted by SMG and UNDP last December, eleven countries requested assistance for and advice on implementing the system. Five nations were initially selected for assistance. The workshop was attended by some 70 guests – government officials from some 20 developing countries, civic group representatives, and international transparency experts – to learn from Seoul’s open, transparent policies for clean construction and anti-corruption policies.
□The CCS refers to the systems that disclose information on the entire process of all public construction projects by Seoul (e.g., One-PMIS, the “Allimi” Construction Information Disclosure System, Daegum-e Baro for subcontractor payment) so it may be shared by all, from construction supervisors to citizens. The CCS enables transparency in disclosure and management of construction information so as to prevent corruption in construction projects.
○ One-Project Management Information System (One-PMIS): This system allows supervisors, construction managers, and inspectors to manage construction projects in Seoul, enabling management of process and onsite safety, and exchanging information between relevant parties.
○ “Allimi” Construction Information Disclosure System: This website (cis.seoul.go.kr) provides public access to information on construction projects by neighborhood. The information provided on this website for the public is identical to what is used by construction supervisors, giving citizens opportunity to also “supervise” public construction projects.
○ Daegum-e Baro: This system resolves subcontractor payment issues by working with financial institutions to ensure that subcontractors are paid without delay.
□ In 2013, the CCS won the UN Public Service Award, granted for excellent public service and policy, in the category of ‘Preventing and combating corruption in public service’.
□ SMG and the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre will collaborate towards helping nations build their own Clean Construction Systems through consultation on ▴ technological development and ▴ Seoul’s policies and methodologies.
□ The latest assistance to these five countries is focused on ‘One-PMIS’ and ‘Allimi’, both of which are used for basic construction data management.
□ As part of this effort, SMG and the UNDP visited Da Nang City, Vietnam (July 6 – 8), Thailand (July 9 – 12), and the Ukraine (July 13 – 16) to host workshops on CCS support and consultation, followed by discussions on future cooperation.
□ In Vietnam, Seoul shared plans to build Allimi, the construction information disclosure system, which will be designed to incorporate the needs of Da Nang City. On July 7, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was also signed between SMG and Da Nang City to ensure the exchange of knowledge and expertise in system construction through a variety of means – visits by representatives, online conferences, and seminars. At the workshop, some 50 guests, including Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee and Vietnamese government officials, were present to share their ideas.
□ In Thailand, action plans organized by the Thai government for transparent disclosure of public data were discussed along with follow-up actions. Some 120 Thai government officials, including the Auditor General of the Office of the State Audit (under the Thai Finance Minister), the head of the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (under the Thai Prime Minister), and the deputy director of the Electronic Government Agency were invited to the workshop.
□ Ukraine has been seeking to introduce new policies and laws to improve transparency and accountability in the field of construction at the government level and has opted for Seoul’s CCS. To help build the CCS in Ukraine, Seoul agreed to provide consultation on technological development, among other things, with regard to which an MOU was signed on Friday, July 15. Participants attending the workshop included some 100 guests, such as Ukraine’s Minister of Infrastructure, officials from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, the State Agency for E-Government, and the Ministry of Regional Development, as well as the South Korean Ambassador to Ukraine.
□ SMG and the UNDP plan to set up a schedule for visits to Uganda and Jordan before the end of 2017 to provide assistance and consultation.
□ “I believe this workshop is a positive example of how triangular development cooperation involving the Seoul Government, with the right ‘match-making’ by the UNDP, can make a difference in our partner countries, meeting national demand and creating an impact together,” Dr. Balazs Horvath, Director of the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre, remarked.
□ “Da Nang, Vietnam will develop its Allimi system based on Seoul’s experience with Construction Allimi. I expect Da Nang will make good use of it to help improve efficiency and transparency in public construction projects. I look forward to the signing of the MOU to be an opportunity for both countries to reinforce bilateral ties and become even more friendly,” Mr. Park Won-soon, the Mayor of Seoul, said in his congratulatory video message.
□ After the CCS was introduced at the joint “International Workshop for Public Construction Transparency: Sharing Korea’s Clean Construction System & Initiatives around the World” hosted by SMG and UNDP last December, eleven countries requested assistance for and advice on implementing the system. Five nations were initially selected for assistance. The workshop was attended by some 70 guests – government officials from some 20 developing countries, civic group representatives, and international transparency experts – to learn from Seoul’s open, transparent policies for clean construction and anti-corruption policies.
□The CCS refers to the systems that disclose information on the entire process of all public construction projects by Seoul (e.g., One-PMIS, the “Allimi” Construction Information Disclosure System, Daegum-e Baro for subcontractor payment) so it may be shared by all, from construction supervisors to citizens. The CCS enables transparency in disclosure and management of construction information so as to prevent corruption in construction projects.
○ One-Project Management Information System (One-PMIS): This system allows supervisors, construction managers, and inspectors to manage construction projects in Seoul, enabling management of process and onsite safety, and exchanging information between relevant parties.
○ “Allimi” Construction Information Disclosure System: This website (cis.seoul.go.kr) provides public access to information on construction projects by neighborhood. The information provided on this website for the public is identical to what is used by construction supervisors, giving citizens opportunity to also “supervise” public construction projects.
○ Daegum-e Baro: This system resolves subcontractor payment issues by working with financial institutions to ensure that subcontractors are paid without delay.
□ In 2013, the CCS won the UN Public Service Award, granted for excellent public service and policy, in the category of ‘Preventing and combating corruption in public service’.
□ SMG and the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre will collaborate towards helping nations build their own Clean Construction Systems through consultation on ▴ technological development and ▴ Seoul’s policies and methodologies.
□ The latest assistance to these five countries is focused on ‘One-PMIS’ and ‘Allimi’, both of which are used for basic construction data management.
□ As part of this effort, SMG and the UNDP visited Da Nang City, Vietnam (July 6 – 8), Thailand (July 9 – 12), and the Ukraine (July 13 – 16) to host workshops on CCS support and consultation, followed by discussions on future cooperation.
□ In Vietnam, Seoul shared plans to build Allimi, the construction information disclosure system, which will be designed to incorporate the needs of Da Nang City. On July 7, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was also signed between SMG and Da Nang City to ensure the exchange of knowledge and expertise in system construction through a variety of means – visits by representatives, online conferences, and seminars. At the workshop, some 50 guests, including Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee and Vietnamese government officials, were present to share their ideas.
□ In Thailand, action plans organized by the Thai government for transparent disclosure of public data were discussed along with follow-up actions. Some 120 Thai government officials, including the Auditor General of the Office of the State Audit (under the Thai Finance Minister), the head of the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (under the Thai Prime Minister), and the deputy director of the Electronic Government Agency were invited to the workshop.
□ Ukraine has been seeking to introduce new policies and laws to improve transparency and accountability in the field of construction at the government level and has opted for Seoul’s CCS. To help build the CCS in Ukraine, Seoul agreed to provide consultation on technological development, among other things, with regard to which an MOU was signed on Friday, July 15. Participants attending the workshop included some 100 guests, such as Ukraine’s Minister of Infrastructure, officials from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, the State Agency for E-Government, and the Ministry of Regional Development, as well as the South Korean Ambassador to Ukraine.
□ SMG and the UNDP plan to set up a schedule for visits to Uganda and Jordan before the end of 2017 to provide assistance and consultation.
□ “I believe this workshop is a positive example of how triangular development cooperation involving the Seoul Government, with the right ‘match-making’ by the UNDP, can make a difference in our partner countries, meeting national demand and creating an impact together,” Dr. Balazs Horvath, Director of the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre, remarked.
□ “Da Nang, Vietnam will develop its Allimi system based on Seoul’s experience with Construction Allimi. I expect Da Nang will make good use of it to help improve efficiency and transparency in public construction projects. I look forward to the signing of the MOU to be an opportunity for both countries to reinforce bilateral ties and become even more friendly,” Mr. Park Won-soon, the Mayor of Seoul, said in his congratulatory video message.