Seoul to share know-how, resources

South Korea yesterday pledged to offer funds and development know-how to play a bigger role in the international efforts to bolster developing nations, underscoring its willingness to become a full-fledged benefactor.

"We hope to share our expertise in becoming a former recipient nation that has achieved economic development and democratization in a tremendously short period of time," said Vice Foreign Minister Shin Kak-soo at an international conference on official development assistance held in Seoul.

As part of such pledges, Shin said South Korea plans to raise the volume of official development assistance to up to 0.25 percent of its gross national income by 2015.

Once a war-torn country on the receiving end of ODA, South Korea is now awaiting membership in the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.



A decision will be reached on Nov. 25. Most expect South Korea to be accepted in the committee, which would mark the nation`s official status as a donor.

South Korea, although it has been over a decade since it transcended into a benefactor, has faced criticism for its lagging amount of donations, about half of which are credit loans and not the usual format of grants provided by traditional donor countries.

As of 2007, ODA accounted for 0.07 percent of the nation`s gross national income. DAC members on average donate up to 0.33 percent of their income.

Seoul also was reluctant to join the DAC as the move would entail stronger regulations to abide by in offering aid.

"I very much welcome Korea`s admission and the chances of being admitted are very, very high," said Talaat Abdel-Malek, co-chair of the working party on aid effectiveness of the DAC.

He noted that "Korea has demonstrated a very successful model of development based on national ownership," meaning the nation was self-driven and not excessively dependent on ODA grants.

Afshan Khan, director of the public sector alliance and resource mobilization office of UNICEF, also said there were "unique opportunities to build on Korea`s experience," such as heavy investment in human capital and its development know-how.

"I think sharing those lessons with other developing countries and recognizing some of the numerous innovations on technologies, new methods of working so other countries can adapt to their own means are significant," she said.

Touching on aid to North Korea, Khan said she hopes that the children there would not be sacrificed "politically."

She urged Seoul to continue providing "transparent" humanitarian aid to the children in the North.

Both Abdel-Malek and Khan were participants of the forum yesterday.

(jemmie@heraldm.com)



By Kim Ji-hyun