The National Election Commission (NEC) of Korea and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at IFES headquarters in Washington, D.C. on July 29, 2011. The MOU was intended to combine the resources and expertise in elections management of the two institutions. Before a signing ceremony, NEC Secretary-General Jong-Woo Lee and IFES President and CEO Bill Sweeney had a chance to have a private meeting, in which they discussed how the two institutions could cooperate to meet the goals laid out in the MOU.

NEC Secretary-General Jong-Woo Lee said that this MOU with IFES, which has been providing support for democratic elections in developing countries and for the development of democracy, would help provide more assistance for democracy and elections in young democracies. He also expressed hope that this MOU would contribute to the democratic electoral process and establishment of advanced election culture by sharing information, collaborating on researches, and by exchanging visits of staff and experts.

IFES President and CEO Bill Sweeney said that the MOU would allow the NEC and IFES to expand training and research capabilities around the world. He also expected that this MOU would offer a chance to deepen the engagement with officials working on the ground to ensure free and transparent electoral practices in Asia.

The activities that the two institutions would possibly carry out under the MOU include:

∙ Hosting meetings for exchange of information and experiences involving knowledge resources, training and research;

∙ Developing joint initiatives for cooperation in research, technical training and assistance designed for developing and strengthening democratic institutions and processes;

∙ Organizing international forums and events for the purpose of knowledge and experience exchanges among democratic countries; and

∙ Promoting exchanges, assignments and visits of members of staff, practitioners and experts in matters of common interest.

The signing of the MOU and the meeting between the representatives of the two institutions provided a solid foundation to launch a new set of initiatives to promote development of democracy and advanced election culture.