Leaders assess 'Seoul Declaration' from World Bio Summit; Tedros cites importance of equity in AI cooperation
President Lee Jae Myung met with World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday, discussing ways to strengthen health and medical cooperation between South Korea and the WHO, coordinate responses to infectious diseases, and expand the participation of Korean professionals in international organizations.
Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kim Seong-wan said in a written briefing that Lee received Tedros at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday afternoon. The two sides praised the "Seoul Declaration" announced at the World Bio Summit, which South Korea and the WHO co-hosted that day.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on a broad range of issues, including strengthening health and medical cooperation between South Korea and the WHO, international coordination on infectious disease prevention and response, expanding South Korea's role in global health, and the current Ebola outbreak situation in parts of Africa.
Lee said South Korea's role and contribution in the international community needed to grow further, and that he hoped the country would continue to expand the scope of its cooperation with the WHO in global health and health security. Kim said Lee also asked Tedros to pay particular attention to enabling talented Koreans to contribute more to the WHO, noting that South Korea had evolved from a recipient of international aid into a major donor country.
Tedros expressed gratitude for South Korea's sustained efforts and contributions to WHO cooperation and the advancement of global health.
Tedros recalled a visit he made to South Korea in 2013 to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Ethiopia, saying he had stopped by an Ethiopian memorial hall in Chuncheon and planted two trees symbolizing friendship between the two countries. "I would like to visit during this trip to see how much those trees have grown," he said. He also said he was well aware of South Korea's development experience and expressed agreement that the contributions and roles of member states within the WHO should be appropriately reflected.
Tedros also noted the active cooperation between South Korea and the WHO in AI and biotech, saying that international cooperation placing equity at the center was important in AI as well. He said he hoped collaboration between the two sides in those areas would continue to expand.
On infectious disease coordination, Lee said that combating infectious diseases was a challenge no single country could address alone, and that close international cooperation for prevention and joint response was essential.
Tedros agreed, citing as a key achievement of international cooperation the fact that more than 4,000 people from over 100 countries had received training in vaccine and treatment development through the WHO Global Biomanufacturing Training Hub established in South Korea. He also said the WHO and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were working closely together in response to concerns about the spread of Ebola in parts of Africa.
Lee said he looked forward to South Korea and the WHO continuing to work together, on the basis of close cooperation, to advance global health and strengthen infectious disease response capabilities.
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