Giving a speech in Seoul last month, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked Korea to “act as a catalyst” in pushing for the global body’s three major goals of sustainable development, the prevention and management of conflicts and the establishment of human rights and democracy across the world. The former Korean foreign minister lauded the country as the “unprecedented model in the world for achieving the three tasks.”

His request added to mounting calls for Korea to contribute more to the international community as the only country that has transformed from an aid recipient to a donor since the end of World War II.

Korea’s accession to a nonpermanent seat on the U.N. Security Council next year provides much impetus for it to expand its roles, but Korea could make the most meaningful contribution in helping people in less developed areas with their efforts to overcome poverty by building a robust economy. Its own experience of rising from the ashes of the 1950-53 Korean War to become a major economic powerhouse puts Korea in a good position to provide developing nations with what they most need.

Korea has strengthened its efforts to help less developed parts of the world since 1991, when it set up the Korea International Cooperation Agency dedicated to implementing grant programs. Its official development assistance increased from $57.4 million in 1991 to $1.32 billion in 2011, with aid through KOICA rising from $22.8 million to $408 million over the cited period.

The country should certainly try to increase its ODA, which has remained far below the average of the 34-member Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. But its assistance for less developed countries should focus on human resources development and other programs to help people back on their feet and realize their dreams.

Efforts are needed to ensure the country provides “better aid” rather than “more aid” for people struggling to pull themselves out of poverty and improve standards of living. Korea should work out more programs tailored to meet the specific needs of aid recipients.

The efforts the country has so far made to help less privileged countries have brought some meaningful results, with the devoted attitude of Korean volunteer workers drawing a particularly warm response.

But Koreans can and should do more to help people in less developed areas overcome poverty and pursue a decent life by sharing their development experience. In the process, Koreans must continue to have an attitude of mutual respect and learning from each other.

Such strenuous efforts would bring Korea diplomatic and economic benefits over the long term. The best reward, however, may be the sense of true partnership that other countries would have toward Korea.