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Busan-Style International Development Cooperation Training Model in Full Swing: Launch of “Capacity-Building Program on Waste Management for Paraguay”

Aug 17, 2025 11  Views
◈ Busan Metropolitan City will operate the “Capacity-Building Program on Municipal Solid Waste Management for Greater Asunción in Paraguay” for two weeks starting August 17, aiming to share its advanced waste treatment technologies and resource circulation policies with the international community.

◈ A total of 14 high-level policymakers from Colombia and Paraguay will complete a tailored program balancing theory and practice, including policy lectures, field visits, hands-on activities, and workshops.

◈ This initiative is expected to serve as a meaningful opportunity to enhance Busan’s status as a global resource-circulating city by expanding international environmental cooperation and support for developing countries.
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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) and the Busan Global City Foundation (CEO Jeon Yong-woo) announced that they will operate the first-year program of the “Capacity-Building Program on Municipal Solid Waste Management for Greater Asunción, Paraguay (2025–2027)” from today (17th) to August 30 for two weeks.


○ This program is intended to share Busan’s excellent waste treatment technologies and resource circulation policies with the international community. It was launched after the City and the Busan Global City Foundation secured approximately KRW 800 million in national funding for three years (2025–2027) through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)’s Global Training Program in March.


A total of 14 policymakers—including the Mayor of Nueva Colombia in Paraguay, a council member of Villa Elisa, and the Director General of the Office of the Comptroller—will participate in the training program, which consists of policy lectures, field visits, hands-on activities, and workshops in a balanced schedule of theory and practice.
○ At a “Circular Economy Policy Meeting,” the head of the City’s Resource Circulation Division will directly introduce the policies and enhance understanding through a Q&A session.
○ In addition, focusing on the major challenge of improving public awareness and participation in waste management in Paraguay, participants will explore the applicability of Busan’s advanced resource circulation policies and facilities by experiencing them first-hand. Major sites to be visited include the Busan Environmental Corporation’s Resource Circulation Cooperation Center, the “Our Neighborhood” Social Value (ESG) Center, the Citizen Sharing Market, and Domoheon.
○ At the final session of the program, participants will present their “Action Plan,” which they have developed based on two weeks of education and field experience, at the “Circular Economy Official Development Assistance (ODA) Forum” (August 27), sharing best practices from Busan and other local governments and discussing directions for sustainable cooperation.


< Circular Economy Official Development Assistance Forum >
• Date and Time: August 27 (Wed), 16:00–18:00 / Startup Space 100 (Jwadong, Haeundae)
• Participants: Approximately 50 stakeholders from local public-private-academic sectors related to “resource circulation”
• Theme: “New Ideas for Resource Circulation!”
• Agenda: Opening Ceremony – Thematic Presentations and Discussion (including presentations by trainees) – Commemorative Photo Session
• Details: Sharing visions and exploring development strategies to seek new urban competitiveness


Particularly, this program is significant as it goes beyond a simple overseas invitation training and fully implements the Busan-style international development cooperation training model. Key stakeholders in the resource circulation field—including the Busan Environmental Corporation, the social enterprise “Elephant Factory,” and the local startup “TERACLE”—are participating in the program. This will provide trainees with practical policy and technology experiences and offer local participants opportunities for international cooperation.
○ The Busan Environmental Corporation will provide practice-oriented field training based on its specialized facilities such as the Resource Circulation Cluster and biogas facilities, while Elephant Factory will present creative circular economy models and tailored solutions that reflect local characteristics. In addition, through the participation of TERACLE, a local resource circulation startup, the program will explore opportunities to enter the global market.
○ The City expects the program to develop into a platform for cooperation in resource circulation where the public, private, industrial, and academic sectors jointly grow, thereby contributing to the establishment of a Busan-style circular economy ecosystem.


Jeon Yong-woo, CEO of the Busan Global City Foundation, stated, “Since 2016, the Busan Global City Foundation has continuously participated in KOICA programs and grown into a leading public diplomacy institution. Through this program, we will promote Busan’s excellent policies and technologies and facilitate overseas expansion of local companies, thereby contributing to revitalizing the local economy.”


Lee Byeong-seok, Director General of Environmental Water Policy Office of the City, stated, “This training program will raise international awareness of Busan’s waste management and resource circulation policies and serve as an important opportunity to enhance Busan’s status as a global resource-circulating city by further expanding international environmental cooperation and support for developing countries.”

This content has been translated by AI. Please refer to the attached original Korean version for accuracy if needed.