SEOUL-- President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday urged the world to step up multilateral cooperation to address a job crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, and ensure sustainable and inclusive global economic growth.

Moon made the remarks at the virtual Global Forum for a Human-centered Recovery, hosted by the International Labor Organization.

"It is estimated that the COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out 230 million jobs around the world," Moon said. "The COVID-19 crisis is a job crisis."

"COVID-19 has awakened us to the fact that the world is closely interconnected. Fallen under the influence of unstable supply chains, we are keenly realizing that a crisis of one country is a crisis of all," Moon said.

Citing efforts by global organizations to distribute vaccines around the world and assist in the economic recovery of low-income nations, Moon called for the world to bolster multilateral cooperation for a recovery of jobs.

"Fortunately, we are joining forces in various areas to make it happen. We are distributing vaccines with WHO playing a central role and assisting economic recovery of low-income countries through IMF," Moon said.

"I hope to see the spirit of multilateralism prevail also in the fields of employment and social protection, driving countries to undertake assistance programs for vulnerable countries in earnest," Moon said.

Moon said the pandemic has widened the gap between rich and poor.

"Although we are recovering now, asset and income disparities are widening," Moon said. "In particular, vulnerable groups, such as youth, women, part-time and day workers, and self-employed businesses were disproportionately hit, and income inequalities have exacerbated."

"The global population under absolute poverty that lives on less than $1.9 has increased by about 100 million," Moon said.

Source: Yonhap News Agency