The government finalized a budget proposal for official development assistance (ODA) for 2027 at 6.3 trillion won ($4.6 billion) on Thursday, marking an increase of 871.2 billion won from this year. The budget proposal was part of the comprehensive ODA plan for 2027 approved during a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook. The budget will be finalized after a review by the ministry of planning and budget and then approval from the National Assembly. Next year's plan, drawn up based on a mid-term ODA strategy that the government announced in May, calls for focusing on healthcare, culture and artificial intelligence — strategic cooperation sectors designated in the mid-term plan for the next five years. Drought and flood prevention projects, such as dam construction and river management, are among the high priorities. The government will also push for projects based on specific needs of recipient nations while actively utilizing culture and artificial intelligence (AI), areas that Korea has an edge over other nations, officials said. In particular, AI is the signature age
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