International Development Cooperation (IDC) refers to the collective efforts of the international community to reduce development gaps, alleviate poverty and inequality, and promote the realization of fundamental human rights in developing countri...
International Development Cooperation (IDC) refers to the collective efforts of the international community to reduce development gaps, alleviate poverty and inequality, and promote the realization of fundamental human rights in developing countries. The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the primary institution responsible for the Republic of Korea’s grant aid, implements development cooperation projects across multiple sectors in collaboration with government agencies, civil society, and academic institutions. Among KOICA’s five priority sectors, the health and medical sector accounted for 16.2% of total sectoral allocations in 2023, ranking second when excluding miscellaneous categories.
Development cooperation projects are inherently exposed to diverse risks, making it difficult to anticipate all variables at the design stage and necessitating continuous coordination between contributing and partner countries. Reflecting the paradigm shift toward partnership-based development cooperation, this study conceptualizes risk as the positive or negative effects of uncertainty that may influence project objectives related to scope, schedule, cost, and quality.
This study aims to systematize risk factors using non-functioning factors (hereafter referred to as risk factors) identified in completion evaluation reports of KOICA’s health-sector international development cooperation projects. The project cycle is reclassified into the planning stage, implementation stage, and post-completion stage. Risk factors are analyzed according to project stage, responsible actors (contributing or partner countries), and degree of responsibility, and a PESTLE analysis is applied to account for broader political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental influences.
By identifying stage-specific risk factors, this study seeks to support more realistic project design, proactive risk management, and improved implementation effectiveness for both contributing and partner countries throughout the project cycle.