LocationsUSPC and MOLEG launch new SDG Partnership on people-centred justice to advance access to legal information through innovation
September 28, 2026
On 15 September 2026, the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre (USPC) launched its new SDG Partnership programme on people-centred justice with a webinar, in collaboration with the Ministry of Government Legislation (MOLEG) of the Republic of Korea (ROK).*
Following the Call for Proposals announced on 8 September 2026, the webinar introduced this new SDG Partnership designed to support partner countries in advancing access to legal information through innovation, drawing on MOLEG’s proven models and practices. In particular, the session highlighted MOLEG’s experience of developing and refining the Korean Law Information Center (KLIC), MOLEG’s digital statutory information system, which will be shared with partner countries as part of this initiative.
*MOLEG is the central government ministry of the Republic of Korea responsible for reviewing, interpreting and improving government legislation, and operates the Korean Law Information Center, the country’s integrated legal information portal.
New thematic focus on people-centred access to legal information
According to the Task Force on Justice, an estimated 5.1 billion people worldwide lack meaningful access to justice. When people cannot easily find or understand the laws that affect them, they may struggle to claim their rights, access public services or hold institutions accountable. Many countries have adopted digital solutions to make legal information more accessible but still face obstacles, including weak institutional foundations for maintaining legal databases, limited accessibility features, and complex legal language.
UNDP's people-centred approach to justice addresses these challenges by focusing on the needs of the people who use justice and governance systems. This approach aligns with the UNDP Strategic Plan 2026-2029, which places effective governance and the rule of law at the heart of human development,and by UNDP’s 2025 Policy Framework on People-Centred Justice and Security.
USPC contributes to this agenda by connecting UNDP Country Offices (COs) with Korea’s proven policy experience. In May 2025, USPC signed a Statement of Intent with MOLEG based on a shared vision that law is a public good and should be accessible to all. Building on this collaboration, USPC published the 2026 resource book, Enhancing People-Centred Access to Justice through Innovation: Lessons from the Republic of Korea, which highlights Korea’s experience in expanding public access to legal information and the lessons learned. The new SDG Partnership programme turns these lessons into practical support for partner countries. With financial support from Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the initiative will help selected countries adapt MOLEG’s experience to their own contexts to strengthen access to legal information as a foundation for people-centred justice.
SDG Partnerships programme launch: Webinar highlights and key messages
To introduce the new SDG Partnerships programme, USPC convened a launch webinar bringing together UNDP Rule of Law, Security, and Human Rights Team, USPC, MOLEG, and UNDP COs across regions. UNDP COs from more than 40 countries took part, a turnout that reflects strong interest in access to legal information and the timeliness of the new partnership.
Opening the session, Anne Juepner, Director of USPC, emphasized that equal access to legal information is essential for people understand their rights, navigate public systems and hold institutions accountable, making it a cornerstone of people-centred justice. She stressed that advancing this agenda requires collaboration and shared learning.
This initiative aims to support countries in adapting relevant lessons and approaches from MOLEG’s Korean Law Information Center. Importantly, our objective is not to replicate Korea’s model, but to help countries develop solutions tailored to their own contexts.Anne Juepner, Director of UNDP Seoul Policy Centre
Leanne McKay, Senior Justice and Security Expert at UNDP, illustrated how UNDP's people-centred approach to justice and security can be integrated into programming, drawing on the Designing and Delivering People-Centred Justice and Security: A UNDP Programming Guide.
Hye-min Cho, Deputy Director of the Law Data Innovation Division at MOLEG, also explained how the ministry’s longstanding principle of treating law as a public good has been translated into reforms and innovations for making legal information more accessible to people it serves. During the webinar, she introduced the Korean Law Information Center, which provides free, real-time access to over 7.4 million legal resources, and various features that help people find and understand the law, including AI-assisted search in everyday language. Drawing on MOLEG’s experience, she underscored the importance of building services incrementally, responding to users’ needs and investing in long-term maintenance.
Making laws public does not by itself guarantee access. People need to be able to reach the law more easily and conveniently, and the Korean Law Information Center is what we built to do that.Hye-min Cho, Deputy Director of the Law Data Innovation Division, MOLEG
Next steps
USPC and MOLEG will jointly review proposals submitted by UNDP COs by 10 October 2026 and select two partner countries by 30 October 2026. Over the following 12 months, selected countries will have the opportunity to engage in tailored knowledge exchanges with experts from MOLEG and seed funding through support from MOFA to implement local initiatives inspired by Korea’s experience that strengthen people’s access to legal information and drive sustainable, catalytic impact.
**UNDP Seoul Policy Centre (USPC) shares Korea’s tested-and-proven policy tools with other countries through SDG Partnerships. SDG Partnerships provide a combination of support, including partnership development with Korean institutions, seed funding, technical assistance, and policy advisory services. It utilizes UNDP’s global network of country offices and the policy expertise and know-how of partner organizations.
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