The Republic of Korea’s Infrastructure Development: Experiences and Some Lessons for Africa’s Developing Economies

Working Paper No. 1

The Republic of Korea’s Infrastructure Development: Experiences and Some Lessons for Africa’s Developing Economies

Author: Okyu Kwon

Infrastructure development plays a crucial role in economic growth, poverty alleviation, and enhancing the competitiveness of developing countries. However, existing infrastructure in many developing countries is inadequate, and more infrastructure investment is urgently needed. The problem is particularly acute in Africa’s developing economies, which continue to lag far behind in areas such as telecommunications, electricity, roads, and sanitation. As a result, potential growth as well as the delivery of basic services has been substantially limited. This paper introduces the Republic of Korea’s experiences in infrastructure development, which have successfully supported economic development. Lessons learned from Korea’s experiences during the second half of the twentieth century can be shared with the developing economies of Africa.