In recent years, the conversation surrounding Official Development Assistance (ODA) from South Korea has gained significant momentum. As Korea positions itself as a crucial player in the international arena, its contributions to global health through ODA have become a topic of much interest.
Korea’s involvement in global health initiatives is not new. However, with entities like the RIGHT Foundation pioneering a new way, here’s an evolving perception of how ODA can be utilized effectively. Instead of just allocating funds, the emphasis is now on creating synergies through knowledge transfer, capacity building, and fostering partnerships.
A shining example of this is the RIGHT Foundation, a pioneering body that has been instrumental in enhancing the Korean model of ODA. While many organizations provide assistance in traditional forms, the RIGHT Foundation has taken a unique approach, integrating cutting-edge research and development (R&D) with direct financial support to maximize the impact of their contributions.
As the RIGHT Foundation continues its remarkable work, many are hopeful that Korea’s ODA for global health will set new standards, not just in terms of quantity but quality and innovation as well.
In light of such a bright future, Korea Biomedical Review met with RIGHT Foundation Executive Director Hani Kim and Professor Kang Min-ah of the Department of Public Administration at Ewha Womans University to talk about the RIGHT Foundation and Korea’s presence in the ODA realm.
The discussion was moderated by Park Jae-young, Editor-in-Chief of The Korean Doctors’ Weekly.
