Korea has a unique history in the terms of ODA(Official Development Assistance). As we know, Korea was a recipient country of ODA in the 1960s and 70s when it endeavored to transform itself from one of the poorest countries in the world into a middle-income country.  A few decades later, Korea has become the world's 13th largest economy and has been actively engaged in the international community as an emerging donor.
   As an emerging donor, Korea has made continuous efforts to increase contributions to the international community.  As a result, the volume of Korea's ODA increased from $110 million in 1991 to $700 million in 2007.  In 2008, Korea provided a total of $800 million in ODA to developing countries, which amounts to 0.09% of its GNI(Gross National Income).  In particular, KOICA(Korea International Cooperation Agency) is implementing approximately $300 million worth of grant aid activities such as development projects, dispatch of overseas volunteers(World Friends Korea), trainee invitation program, and NGOs support program in order to eradicate poverty and ensure sustainable development in developing countries.
   However, considering the fact that the average ratio of ODA to GNI of the OECD DAC(Development Assistance Committee) member countries is approximately 0.3%, Korea's ODA is still relatively small.  In this sense, taking into account its international status as the world's 13th largest economy, the Korean government plans to increase the volume of ODA to a point where ODA accounts for 0.15% of the nation's GNI in 2012 and 0.25% in 2015.
   In addition, the Korean government also aims to join the OECD DAC in 2010, and in 2011, it will host the biggest and highest-level conference on the development cooperation field, the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness(HLF-4).  These events will provide a valuable opportunity for Korea to strengthen its ODA system and to upgrade its ODA policy, thus increasing aid effectiveness.
   In the future, Korea wishes to play a constructive role of a bridge between traditional and emerging donors, as well as donor and recipient countries, in order to assure comprehensive partnership incorporating development experiences of different donors.  To this end, it is essential to secure a broad consensus about ODA among the Korean people and their support for the government's ODA policy.

Kim Hyung-tae
(Director, Development Cooperation Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)