Current Status and Sustainable Development Strategies of Traditional Korean Medicine Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Global Health

Abstract

Objectives: Korea has a unique history of being both a recipient and a donor of Official Development Assistance (ODA), and the international community expects Korea to contribute to the development of developing countries by utilizing this experience. Traditional Korean medicine (TKM) seeks to contribute to global health, however the concept of ODA has been unclear and there has been no clear strategy and sustainable initiatives.Methods: This study examines the concept of ODA and its application in global health, including business objectives, scale, evaluation principles, and development strategies. Additionally, we reviewed the current status of Traditional Korean medicine globalization projects and conducted a SWOT analysis of the internal and external environment of the TKM sector. Based on these findings, we redefined the concept of ODA for TKM and proposed suggestions for its development.Results: The current study identified key ideas for TKM ODA. It should prioritize the improvement of primary healthcare in recipient countries, aligning with the international evaluation criteria of the SDGs. Secondly, TKM's 70 years of experience can be leveraged to enhance both the competence and economic benefits of recipient countries' medical systems. Based on these concepts, a TKM ODA development model was proposed, comprising two core visions, three development strategies and goals, and six core values.Conclusion: This study systematically examined the TKM in global health and suggested sustainable development strategies for TKM ODA. Through its expansion, TKM could contribute to the advancement of global traditional medicine and its overall engagement in healthcare.