Seoul: Heads of health authorities from South Korea, China, and Japan have agreed to strengthen trilateral cooperation on universal health coverage and mental health by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies, Seoul's health ministry announced, amid recent diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over Taiwan.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the agreement was reached during the two-day 18th Trilateral Health Ministers' Meeting held in Seoul, attended by South Korean Health Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong, Japanese Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno, and Feng Yong, director general for international cooperation at China's National Health Commission. The trilateral dialogue, launched in 2007 following cooperation among the three nations on pandemic influenza preparedness, focused on expanding access to essential medical services by utilizing AI and digital technologies.
The three countries agreed to support the development of integrated care systems to address the challenge of rapid population aging, aiming to provide coordinated medical and care services. On mental health, the nations prioritized life cycle-based suicide prevention strategies, early identification of high-risk groups, and proper intervention systems by expanding the use of digital tools.
Their joint statement highlighted the importance of sustainable and resilient health systems, emphasizing cooperation on broader health agendas, including universal health coverage (UHC), healthy and active aging, and mental health promotion. The countries aim to generate tangible synergies for mental health promotion and suicide prevention through evidence-based policy cooperation.
For these goals, the countries will utilize telemedicine, mobile health, and AI-based diagnostic support systems to overcome geographical and socio-economic barriers. They will also focus on expanding preventive approaches as crucial components of healthy aging, working jointly to address issues such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, and social isolation.
On the sidelines of the meeting, bilateral talks were held between Jeong and delegations from China, Japan, and the World Health Organization's Western Pacific Regional Office. The next round of meetings is scheduled to be held in China next year, according to the ministry.