Global Fund External Relationship Director Christoph Benn / Yonhap

By Jhoo Dong-chan

An international organization director said the world should continue its humanitarian aid to North Korea regardless of the regime's provocative nuclear test.

Christoph Benn, a director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria said humanitarian aid to the North Korean people should be dealt with separately from its regime.

"I believe a number of Korean people would feel a great deal of anxiety about North Korea's recent nuclear test," Benn said.

"However, helping North Korean people is a humanitarian mission that should be dealt with separately from its government. It's not giving money to the government but providing medicine to its people. Korea should demonstrate its strong bond with the international community in times like now."

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He added that the Global Fund would help Korea strengthen its cooperation with the international community in its commitment for official development assistance to developing countries, claiming the country should help the North eradicate tuberculosis and malaria.

"Mosquitoes carrying malaria could fly over to South Korea regardless of the demilitarized zone. It is important also for South Korea to defeat North Korea's malaria considering national health."

The Global Fund has spent 114.9 billion won ($102.5 million) to cure about 194,000 tuberculosis patients in North Korea since 2010. It has also provided 2.27 million mosquito nets to defeat malaria.

Benn also called for the Korean government to participate more actively in its mission to help developing economies.

Korea has donated $33 million to the Global Fund since 2004. Its ranking in donation volume since 2001 is only 23rd among 28 countries.

"I am grateful that Korea has donated $4 million to the Global Fund every year since 2014," said Benn. "But I believe Korea has potential to do more. I hope the partnership between Korea and the Global Fund becomes stronger."