With the NEC involved in an ever expanding global network of election management bodies and participating in various programs abroad, it is becoming increasingly important to ensure that the staff from our Commission are prepared when they welcome officials from around the world to Korea or participate in election observations or events abroad. In this vein, the Administration and International Affairs Division held our annual International Experts Workshop for around fifty staff last week at the Korean Civic Education for Democracy’s (KOCEI) brand new training center in Suwon.

The importance of this workshop for our division shouldn’t be overstated. The NEC can participate in up to 15 or 20 observation programs, meetings, conferences or forums abroad each year, and on every one of these trips at least one of our ‘international expert’ staff is part of the delegation to translate and guide for the other members of staff. Without their contribution our international activities cannot take place, and ensuring they are properly prepared is important for the smooth operation of each trip.   

This year’s workshop was held over two days on Thursday 28th and Friday 29^th of July during the rainy season here in Korea. Around 50 staff traveled from various levels of election commission to be with us at the fully renovated KOCEI complex. Any member of staff could apply and the final group was chosen based on their foreign language ability, particularly focused on English as it is the most common working language for the various events we participant in, previous experience in working abroad and attitude. We were delighted so many people this year wanted to participate and we hope to give everyone an opportunity to be part of our international events during their time at the NEC.

We held a number of sessions during the two-day workshop focused on informing the staff about international events, ensuring the staff feel prepared to fulfill their roles and developing their election-related English vocabulary. It all began with an introduction to all the international work the NEC has been involved in during the past year and the plans for the upcoming months. The first day also included presentations from six members of staff who had already been on observations or participated in events to help others understand the various issues and problems they may have to cope with.  The whole group was able to also ask questions to our division and our presenters regarding what they are required to do during international trips.

The second day had a diverse feel to it. The morning began with a quiz that was focused on using the correct English phrases for the election process, understand the roles of other international organizations better and gain a solid understanding of other countries’ election systems. The whole quiz was conducted in English and while everyone had fun competing against each other, it was a good opportunity for the staff to use English in an election-focused setting. 

The workshop was then rounded off with a lecture from a Professor from Gyeonggi University with extensive international experience discussing the importance of international cooperation and best practices. The final words were then left to the Director General of Planning and Coordination from the NEC, who awarded the winning quiz team their prize and thanked everyone for their participation.

Overall, this year’s edition was one of the most well-attended, successful and productive International Experts Workshop since it the NEC began holding such training. We hope all the staff enjoyed it and were able to feel part of a growing team of NEC staff with experience and knowledge about elections outside of Korea.