Policy Updates

On November 13, 2024, South Korean Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Ki-hwan Kwon met with the Executive Director of Unitaid Dr. Philippe Duneton to discuss global health cooperation including prevention and response to future pandemics and cooperation between South Korea and Unitaid.

Kwon highlighted that the South Korean government is actively engaged in efforts to strengthen the global health system and values cooperation with global health initiatives including Unitaid. He noted the importance of the international community to work together to prevent and respond to future pandemics.

Following the meeting, the South Korean government signed a commitment with Unitaid for a contribution of US$17 million through ACT-A, bringing the total amount of its support to Unitaid in 2024 to US$22 million. The South Korean MOFA will continue strengthening the global health system through cooperation with global health initiatives.

On November 10, 2024, South Korea hosted the 2024 World Bio Summit to discuss international cooperation in the health sector.

South Korean 2^nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Min-soo Park had a bilateral meeting with Lao PDR's Minister of Health Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Regional Director of WPRO Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala, and Executive Director of Unitaid Dr. Philippe Duneton.

These bilateral meetings were organized at the request of senior officials from the respective organizations. They discussed issues of interest and cooperation in the healthcare sector, and how South Korea and Lao PDR can cooperate to improve the healthcare system in Lao PDR.

South Korea will also actively participate as a member of the WHO Executive Board in order to successfully implement the five-year plan (2024-2028) of new health strategies. Regarding cooperation with Unitaid, South Korea will strengthen public-private partnerships in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.

On October 31, 2024, South Korean Minister Kyu-hong Cho attended the 2024 G20 Health Ministers‘ Meeting and Joint Finance and Health Ministers‘ Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In discussions with representatives from various countries, Minister Cho explored ways to enhance equity in healthcare access and achieve UHC by building a sustainable and resilient global health system.

He emphasized the efficient use of resources for pandemic prevention, response, and preparedness and underscored the importance of a balanced review of the characteristics, advantages, and limitations of various health crisis financing options.

The Health Ministers' Meeting joint declaration, the first in three years, will be an outcome of the upcoming G20 Summit and a significant milestone for future international health meetings and negotiations.

On September 27, 2024, South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Tae-yul Cho attended the Ministerial Meeting of the Foreign Ministry Channel for Global Health Security held in New York, highlighting the importance of diplomacy in driving international cooperation in pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

The meeting, hosted by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, was launched in March 2024 with more than 20 countries including South Korea. He emphasized diplomatic efforts should be made in three areas:

• Creating a global network for vaccine development;
• Strengthening global health security agreements such as the Pandemic Pact and One Health Approach; and
• Strengthening health capacity in developing countries through development cooperation.

The South Korean government has appointed an ambassador for global health security and committed to make US$30 million in contributions to the Pandemic Fund from 2023-25. The South Korean government will continue strengthening international cooperation to promote global health security.

On September 10, 2024, South Korea and Global Fund co-hosted the High-Level Symposium and Procurement Forum on the Fight Against Infectious Diseases with 2^nd Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Insun Kang, Global Fund Executive Director Peter Sands, members of the National Assembly, and more than 160 participants from the government, international organizations, NGOs, and academia.

39 biopharmaceutical companies attended this forum, demonstrating the high level of interest from South Korean companies. In his welcoming remarks, Ahn noted that the South Korean government should continue to provide support through ODA to respond to the pandemic. Lee said the Global Fund offers an important platform for international cooperation in responding to infectious diseases, hoping the forum would lead to constructive discussions on how South Korean companies can enter the international health procurement market.

Kang noted that the South Korean government is on track to fulfill its pledge of US$100 million in 2023-2025 and will continue to support synergies between South Korean companies and the Global Fund.

Before the forum, Kang met with Sands to deepen cooperation and expressed its pledge of US$25 million to the Global Fund this year. South Korea will continue to make efforts to combat infectious diseases through cooperation with the Global Fund and other global health initiatives.

On September 5, 2024, South Korean Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Ki-hwan Kwon met CEO of Gavi Dr. Sania Nishta to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the South Korean government and the organization.

Kwon recognized the active participation of South Korean companies in the international health procurement market through Gavi, accounting for 11% of Gavi’s total vaccine procurement last year. Dr. Nishtar expressed her hope to expand collaboration with the South Korean government and companies in the implementation of the next Gavi 6.0 Strategy, which will run from 2026-2030.

The BMGF and the Open Philanthropy Foundation hosted a luncheon seminar on South Korea’s contributions to global multilateral health cooperation with Dr. Nishtar. Dr. Nishtar introduced Gavi’s work to officials from the government, industry, and international organizations working in the country and called for a social consensus on funding.

On August 29, 2024, South Korean Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Ki-hwan Kwon delivered an opening remark at the CEPI board meeting in South Korea, appreciating CEPI’s efforts to prepare for future pandemics and its increased investment in South Korean companies.

He reaffirmed the South Korean government’s support for CEPI’s role in supporting vaccine development for future pandemics. Kwon also appreciated CEPI’s partnerships with South Korean companies and institutions, highlighting the need to broaden the scope of collaboration to include health research and training personnel in the bio sector.

The South Korean government noted that it will continue to proactively contribute to the international community’s efforts to prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemics through cooperation with various global health initiatives including CEPI.

On August 26, 2024, South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Tae-yul Cho met with CEO of CEPI Dr. Richard Hatchett to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation, including expanding CEPI’s investment in South Korean biotech companies.

Cho highlighted that the South Korean government is expanding its contributions to the international community by significantly increasing its ODA budget in 2024 and pledging US$18 million in support for CEPI as a part of its commitment to strengthening the global health system.

He noted that CEPI will invest more than US$410 million in South Korean companies and institutions, including SK Bioscience, to support vaccine development. South Korea contributed US$33 million to CEPI in 2020-2023 and sits on the Investor Committee.

CEPI will hold its first-ever board meeting in South Korea on August 29-30, and Dr. Hatchett plans to meet with South Korean companies and the IVI during his visit.

Dr. Hatchett noted that South Korea’s contributions are crucial as many countries are struggling to maintain their contributions to global health organizations due to the war in Ukraine.

On August 26, 2024, South Korea held the National Assembly Global Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Forum, exploring ways to cooperate on global health ODA to respond to future pandemics.

Experts recommend that South Korea emphasize the importance of global health ODA, as public support for expanding the scale of ODA is deteriorating. Dr. Jerom Kim, Director General of International Vaccine Institute and experts from SK Bioscience, emphasized private sector involvement in health ODA as critical in order to secure large quantities of vaccines and transfer technology. The experts highlighted that cooperation with global health initiatives will bolster effective preparation for future pandemics.

Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, Mr. Jonghan Park, Director-General for Development Cooperation, Dr. Hani Kim, Executive Director of the RIGHT Foundation, as well as MOHW, KDCA, and IFANS all attended the forum.

On July 21, 2024, an article following the efforts of South Korean bio-companies to proactively pursuing projects to promote global health was published, emphasizing contributions to vaccine capabilities and technology sharing.

SK Bioscience is implementing a ‘glocalization’ project to contribute to solving the vaccine imbalance problem triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and expand into overseas markets. The project aims to transfer vaccine research and production capabilities to overseas governments and partners to build production infrastructure that meets the needs of each region.

Lunit, a South Korean medical AI-based company, is promoting a project to supply AI image analysis such as chest X-rays and mammograms to Africa in cooperation with KOICA and other international organizations. Lunit spokespeople have stated the hope that the technology will be a win-win strategy for entering new markets and improving health care in developing countries. Seegene, a molecular diagnostic company, has also promoted a similar technology-sharing program.

These initiatives are a result of South Korea’s bio industry’s pursuit of profits and ESG strategies. There is a global need for bio-innovative technologies to be used for public purposes, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Global health experts have recommended that government ministries should cooperate with the domestic bioengineering industry to become more active in the global health sphere.