Infrastructure Ministry strengthens cooperation on Ukraine’s reconstruction with Korean public and private partners

The Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine will strengthen cooperation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea in the area of Ukraine’s reconstruction. The relevant Memorandum was signed by Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development, and Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea.

The memorandum, which will run for five years, aims to strengthen cooperation with representatives of the Republic of Korea’s public and private sectors in the fields of comprehensive territorial planning, urban development, transport (railways, roads and airports) and social infrastructure, decentralised energy, cooperation between companies involved in reconstruction, job creation, etc.

“Since the beginning of the russian invasion, the Government of the Republic of Korea has demonstrated a consistent position in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The memorandum signed today establishes systematic bilateral cooperation in the field of reconstruction. Ukraine is interested in the exchange of experience and expertise, as well as the direct participation of the government and private companies of the Republic of Korea in reconstruction projects as early as 2023. For our part, we offer transparent procedures, global management standards and digital tools, as well as comprehensive government support,” said Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development.

During the meeting with high-ranking officials and business representatives of the Republic of Korea, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine Oleksandra Azarkhina presented the key priorities for the recovery in 2023. The projects of the Chornomorsk port concession, the development of the Danube Cluster and support for the Grain Initiative were discussed separately.

Representatives of the Republic of Korea were interested in the DREAM digital ecosystem for recovery management implemented by the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development. In particular, the meeting participants asked about the procedures for uploading data and creating projects, the prioritisation methodology, transparency tools, and anti-corruption safeguards.

“Transparency and accountability of the reconstruction and modernisation processes are extremely important for our international partners, and the DREAM ecosystem ensures compliance with these requirements. Built on the principle of ‘everyone sees everything’, DREAM allows to control reconstruction projects at all stages and monitor the effectiveness of spending every hryvnia. And the prioritisation methodology we are developing jointly with the World Bank will ensure transparent and clear rules for project selection,” said Oleksandra Azarkhina, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development.

In addition, the parties discussed opportunities for cooperation at both the intergovernmental and community levels, as well as joint training of specialists for the needs of reconstruction.