OKA News
The Overseas Koreans Agency held the 33rd meeting of the Overseas Korean Policy Working Committee on the 17th floor of the Annex of the Government Complex in Seoul on April 18 to deliberate on an action plan to support the 2024 Overseas Korean Policy. The working committee deliberates on issues to be submitted to the Overseas Korean Policy Committee (chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs), which deliberates and coordinates major issues for the comprehensive and systematic promotion of overseas Korean policy and is chaired by the OKA commissioner under last year’s enacted Basic Act on Overseas Koreans. The meeting was attended by government members from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the National Security Council, as well as 13 civilian members. “This year’s action plan, which is the first to be drafted under the Basic Plan, is important as it serves as a reference point for future annual action plans,” OKA Commissioner Lee Key-cheol said. “As we approach the first anniversary of the launch of the OKA, it is necessary to speed up policy implementation in accordance with the action plan to meet the high expectations of overseas Koreans.” In particular, Lee emphasized that “the project to include Korean political and economic developments in foreign textbooks with overseas Koreans satisfies the four core goals of overseas Korean policy in one project, which are to (1) foster the identity of overseas Koreans and (2) improve their status in their countries of residence but also (3) contribute to the spread of Korean culture and (4) help Korean small and medium-sized enterprises that lack their own brands to expand overseas.” The “2024 Overseas Korean Policy Implementation Plan,” which was presented as a single agenda item, was prepared in accordance with the five-year mid- to long-term “First Overseas Korean Policy Basic Plan” (2024-2028) finalized in January. The government will establish a yearly implementation plan for each year to specifically implement the basic plan and improve its effectiveness. The implementation plan is composed of 89 detailed tasks for 17 central administrative agencies in line with the five policy goals of the Basic Plan (establishing a system for strengthening overseas Korean policy, fostering overseas Korean identity, strengthening protection and support for overseas Koreans, building a Korean network and contributing to the realization of a global backbone nation). The action plan reflecting the results of the deliberations of the Overseas Korean Policy Working Committee will be finalized by the Overseas Korean Policy Committee at a later date.