SEOUL, KOREA - Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank, said on December 3, "Developing countries all over the world having hopes of development from the example of Korea, that's my dream." He said this at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in a luncheon forum held by the Korea Chamber of Commerce & industry.

 

"Korea is the only country in the world that became a donor country in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Development Assistance Committee from status of a receiving country. In light of this, Korea's corporations, as well as the government, must look outside to invest in developing countries," he added.

 

In this forum, nine out of 17 African ambassadors stationed in Korea were in attendance including those from Ethiopia, Sudan, Rwanda, Gabon, Senegal, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Cote d'Ivoire. He further said that the Ethiopian ambassador showed keen interest in Korea's Saemaul movement, or "New Village" movement to modernize the rural Korean economy in the 1970s. "It seems Korea's development model appeals more to African leaders than those of China or Japan."