By Lee Chi-dong
Staff Reporter

SEOUL A visiting chief of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has stressed that it is time for Korea to get on the ball to help children in need around the globe.

Carol Bellamy, 59, executive director of UNICEF, said in a press conference that “Korea had been a beneficiary of support from the international charity organization for more than 40 years, since the Korean War until 1994, when Korea turned into a donor country. But, now, Korea is required to lead the global movement to aid underprivileged children.’’

In celebration of Korea’s presiding over the special session of UNICEF’s general assembly, slated for Sept. 19-23, she made a four-day visit to Korea from Saturday.

As a follow-up to the World Summit for Children in 1990, the session, to be held in New York, is aimed at reviewing the outcome of a world declaration by 181 countries on the survival, protection and development of children.

The meeting will also draw up new resolutions for the next decade, such as improvement of the quality of education, narrowing the education gap between boys and girls and the eradication of the exploitation of children for sex and labor.

“Korea will take the baton from Finland as chair nation. It means Korea has reached world-class status in terms of child care,’’ said the representative of the international agency.

She added that “I hope my visit will be helpful to enhance public awareness on our activities in Korea.’’

During her stay, Bellamy met ranking government officials, including President Kim Dae-jung, to convey UNICEF’s opinion.

At her courtesy call on Kim on Feb. 18, she invited him to the special session as head of the presiding state as well as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

She also asked him to consider increasing the amount of Korea’s contribution from last year’s 1.3 million dollars, 20th largest in the world, as Korea is expected to become the 10th biggest donor to United Nations sooner or later. UNICEF’s annual budget amounts to as much as one billion dollars.

In particular, she asked for President Kim’s help in making the 2002 World Cup a stepping-stone for boosting the global movement for supporting children.

“The Sydney Summer Olympics, held last year, was used as a good opportunity to enhance the public awareness of the disabled and aborigines.

Likewise, the upcoming World Cup can be a great chance to strengthen the ties of world society to help needy children, as well as bridge Korea and Japan,’’ said the New York State senator-turned-UNICEF head.

She added that UNICEF is under consultation with FIFA and Japan on the issue as well.

Touching on North Korean children, she said the communist country is one of the rare nations which has experienced an outbreak of poliomyelitis, so UNICEF will exert continued efforts to improve children’s health there, while expanding its support.

Since the inception of its Pyongyang chapter in 1996, the organization has poured about $35 million into aid for children in the North.

Before being appointed at the post, the UNICEF chief served as the first woman president of the New York City council, a partner at Morgan Stanley, which is a world-renowned finance company, and director of the United States Peace Corps.

She said that, “Helping other people is the most rewarding work.’’

lcd@koreatimes.co.kr