ILO COOP staff met with representatives from Statistics Korea and SK Group to explore cooperation on pilot testing of international guidelines on statistics of cooperatives. Mr. Dong Il Choi, from ILO COOP met the International Statistical Cooperation Division of Statistics Korea (KOSTAT) in the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MOEF). He introduced ILO’s cooperative statistics initiative and plans for pilot testing international guidelines on statistics of cooperatives in Korea.

Mr. Choi extended an invitation to KOSTAT to review the translation of the Guidelines concerning statistics of cooperatives in Korean. He asked for their technical guidance on the implementation of pilot testing of the guidelines in Korea. They responded positively and agreed to provide any data and methodology used for the surveys on cooperative statistics, and any other support needed.

In a follow up meeting on July 16, Mr. Choi met with representatives from MOEF, KOSTAT, and Korea Labour Institute (KLI), for the implementation of the pilot test in Korea. Two participants from SK Group also participated in the meeting. Mr. Choi sought SK Group’s technical support and requested a nominee for the national advisory committee, to monitor and guide the implementation of the pilot testing in Korea.

The ILO project team will continue to strengthen collaboration and explore cooperation with relevant stakeholders in Korea and other pilot test countries (Italy, Turkey, Costa Rica, and Tanzania).