KOICA Development Cooperation Museum Renews Environmental Exhibitions and Educational Programs for Families and Elementary Students

Programs Earn Accolades as Certified Excellent Environmental Education Programs and at the Sustainable Development Awards

November 2, 2026 -- What kinds of microplastics are hidden right inside our home kitchens and living rooms? How do clothes that are quickly discarded as trends change impact the global environment? A new program has been designed to allow people to directly experience and learn about environmental issues that are often overlooked in daily life.

KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) announced on November 2 that it has unveiled newly renovated exhibition spaces and two environmental education programs at the “KOICA Development Cooperation Museum” (hereinafter Development Cooperation Museum) located in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do.

The family-oriented program, “Public Wanted: Catch the Invisible Criminal!,” begins with a detective game tracking down microplastics in everyday life. Participants examine household items that generate microplastics in spaces such as the kitchen, living room, and bathroom. Through games utilizing cards and ultraviolet (UV) lighting, they learn about how microplastics are generated and the impact they have on the environment. They also learn ways to protect the environment by directly making natural beeswax wraps as an alternative to plastic packaging.

The elementary school student-oriented program, “Fast Fashion, Slow Stitch,” explores how clothes produced and discarded rapidly according to trends affect the environment. Participants learn how to keep and share clothes for longer periods and sew their own leather card wallets by hand.

Both programs run for approximately one hour, offering engaging, hands-on experiences that parents and children, as well as students and teachers, can enjoy together.

Meanwhile, in the newly renovated “ODA Learning Center” alongside the existing permanent exhibition hall, a new popup exhibition is being presented under the theme, “Musiim-KO Moment Capture: Small Signals Discovered in Everyday Life.” Illuminating Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13, “Climate Action,” this participatory exhibition easily breaks down the impact of small everyday actions on the global environment using “climate signals” (Red—Stop, Yellow—Think, Green—Continue). Built using honeycomboard—an eco-friendly material—the exhibition space allows visitors to explore various everyday climate action cases alongside KOICA’s character, “Pico Friends.” Visitors can draw their own daily lives on experiential cards and stamp the appropriate climate signal, thereby raising consensus and a will to take action for the climate.

The Development Cooperation Museum is a space introducing global challenges such as the climate crisis, poverty, and inequality, alongside the international community’s efforts to resolve them and South Korea’s development cooperation activities. In particular, through exhibitions and experiential education themed around climate change, it helps children and teenagers connect global issues to their daily lives. Based on these educational activities, the museum was selected in 2025 as an “Education Donation Career Experience Certification Institution” (2025–2028) hosted by the Ministry of Education and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The environmental education programs of the Development Cooperation Museum have also been recognized for their professional excellence. Following a comprehensive review process evaluating educational content and safety, they were designated as nationally certified “Excellent Environmental Education Programs” this year.

Efforts to spread education on sustainable development have likewise borne fruit. Recognizing its activities in expanding environmental education opportunities in cooperation with local communities such as schools and youth organizations, the museum won the Excellence Award (Chairman’s Award of the National Sustainable Development Council) in the corporate category at the “28th Korea Sustainable Development Awards” on October 29.

KOICA participated in this awards competition under the theme, “Partnership Connecting the Global Village and the Region: A Sustainable Future Cultivated with Global Citizens Beyond Borders and Generations,” introducing cases that connected global issues like the climate crisis to citizens' everyday actions.

Han Go-eun, head of the Coworks Exhibition and Education Team operating the Development Cooperation Museum, stated, “While the climate crisis and environmental issues can feel difficult and distant, they are deeply connected to the items we use every day and our consumption habits. We will continue to present diverse educational programs so that children and families can understand global issues through hands-on experiences and continue small actions for the environment in their daily lives.”

Reservations for the Development Cooperation Museum programs can be made by searching for “KOICA Development Cooperation Museum” on Naver or by calling the museum directly. Detailed information is available on the museum’s official blog and social media channels.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]