MOON Sangwon joined KOICA in 2004, and is currently working as the Director General of the Development Strategy and Portfolio Management. In 2013, he planned KOICA’s Saemaul development program as a solution for poverty reduction and rural development in developing countries, and managed the Saemaul development project in Myanmar. He is expanding the additional projects. He was awarded the Presidential Commendation for his achievements in 2024. His research interests lie in examining the relationship between key components of Saemaul development—result-based reward, social capital, leadership of village leaders, and the multidimensional poverty reduction.