SEOUL– President Yoon Suk-yeol said Tuesday that South Korea will contribute to the global fight against infectious diseases by sharing vaccines and further investing in their development and treatments.
Yoon made the remark during the opening of the inaugural World Bio Summit co-hosted by South Korea and the World Health Organization, saying the COVID-19 pandemic of the last three years has united countries around the common goal of protecting people’s lives.
“We must all reflect on the lessons of solidarity and cooperation beyond national borders in order to prepare against future crises of infectious diseases and health,” he said during the event at a Seoul hotel. “Solidarity and cooperation between countries that is based on a common vision, as well as technological innovations, will protect the health of the people of the world and bring prosperity to mankind.”
Yoon said South Korea is doing its best to develop vaccine and treatment technologies, and nurture the bio health industry, with plans to build a research and development regime for new and rare diseases, and increase financial support through the establishment of a bio investment fund.
He said his country will work closely with governments, international organizations and global enterprises as part of that effort.
Yoon also listed the contributions his administration has made so far to global health initiatives, including a pledge of US$300 million toward the Access to COVID-19 Tools-Accelerator Initiative and $30 million to the Financial Intermediary Fund of the World Bank.
“This year, the Republic of Korea succeeded in developing a COVID-19 vaccine and will contribute to ensuring fair access to vaccines by providing the produced vaccines to countries that need them,” he said.
“The Republic of Korea will defend the freedom of the people of the world through technological innovations, and based on a firm spirit of solidarity, actively take part in the international community’s efforts to strengthen the global health regime,” he added.
The two-day summit opened with the participation of some 300 people, including Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, health ministers from Nigeria, Thailand, Tunisia and El Salvador, former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Jerome Kim, director general of the International Vaccine Institute.
Business executives in attendance included Morena Makhoana, CEO of Biovac; Petro Terblanche, managing director of Afrigen; and Ahn Jae-yong, CEO of SK bioscience.
Source: Yonhap News Agency