"Seoul is committed to doing its part in helping other countries and will make efforts to raise public awareness of and support for expanding ODA (official development assistance)," Kwon said.

South Korea pledged in May to increase annual aid to developing countries to 960 million dollars by around 2008 from the current 745 million.

Kwon said the government plans to introduce a program requiring people who buy international plane tickets in South Korea to pay a small extra charge to help developing countries.

The tickets tax was promoted by France, whose parliament in January passed a measure that will add a tax of up to 47 dollars for travellers departing French airports.

Twelve countries in March agreed to join France in imposing a tax on airline tickets to fund HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria programs.