► The South Korean government recently announced a substantial increase in its Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the coming year—approximately USD 5.3 billion, marking a 43.2% rise compared to the 2023 ODA budget.
► South Korea had notable progress before and after the start of SDGs, but it faces several challeneges: 1) South Korea needs to work on environment-related SDGs (Goals 13, 14, 15) domestically and internationally, 2) situations related to gender equality (Goal 5) and reduced inequality (Goal 10), and 3) playing a key role in providing more assistance to developing countries to achieve economic and political development (Goal 17).
►South Korea has demonstrated a dedication to building a more sustainable and inclusive future by aligning its national agenda with the SDGs, and it will be essential for the country to address challenges related to environment, equality, and partnership issues.