Iraqi Kurdistan officials visit Korea to glean procurement expertise

South Korea’s government procurement agency said Thursday that a delegation from the Iraqi Kurdistan government visited its headquarters in Daejeon to learn about Korea’s e-procurement system and the latest developments in the country's public procurement administration.

The delegation consisted of 14 government officials from various ministries of the autonomous region, including the Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Construction.

The on-site visit was organized as part of the agency's ongoing participation in the official development assistance program by the Korea International Cooperation Agency since 2019.

Under the global aid program, the agency has leveraged its expertise to help establish the Kurdistan E-Procurement System for its regional government, with an investment worth 4.3 billion won ($3.2 million).

Since 2022, the agency has conducted various educational programs on its use.

During the visit on Wednesday, the delegation gained greater insight into Korea’s latest online e-procurement system, which is scheduled to debut in the first half of next year, as well as the operation of its call center.

Additionally, the delegation reportedly asked for increased know-how and tech transfer from the agency.

“We expect that KEPS built upon the Korean system will enhance transparency and efficiency of our public procurement administration and inspire the spread of e-procurement service throughout the Middle East," stated Dara Aziz Khidhir, head of the delegation.

Meanwhile, Public Procurement Service Administrator Kim Yoon-sang also renewed the commitment to boosting the agency's global presence.

Kim said, “PPS will continue to share our knowledge and expertise to promote the export and globalization of Korea’s e-procurement service while actively supporting the enhancement of e-procurement capacity in various regions of the world, including in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.”

By Song Jung-hyun and Lee Kwon-hyung

(junghyun792@heraldcorp.com) (kwonhl@heraldcorp.com)