Yoon pledges $24 million to fight against infectious diseases at G7 Summit

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Yoon pledges $24 million to fight against infectious diseases at G7 Summit

Published: 20 May. 2023, 22:21 Updated: 20 May. 2023, 22:27

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, second from left, poses for a commemorative photo with other foreign leaders at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on Saturday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol pledged an additional $24 million in contributions from Korea to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to support combatting of infectious diseases at the Group of 7 (G7) Summit in Hiroshima on Saturday.

Yoon promised that Korea as a "global pivotal country" will support vulnerable and developing countries in solidarity and cooperation with the G7, according to Choi Sang-mok, senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, in a briefing.

Korea plans to nearly triple contributions to the CEPI, an international foundation based in Norway that receives and distributes donations to enable research into developing vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and ensure equitable distribution.

Yoon also pledged to double annual aid through the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), raising Korea's assistance from 50,000 tons of grain to 100,000 tons.

He made the remarks at an expanded session on food security, health, sustainable development and gender equality attended by leaders of the G7 countries and guest nations.

Korea would also expand the emergency rice reserve for the Asean Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve, or Apterr, Yoon added, referring to a regional partnership involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Korea, China and Japan aimed at strengthening food security, alleviating poverty and eradiating malnourishment.

Yoon highlighted that Korea will further work toward increasing rice production capacity in seven African countries through the so-called "K-rice belt" project.

The project aims to share Korea's rice self-sufficiency experiences, advancing official development assistance (ODA) programs to countries that are struggling with a lack of agricultural infrastructure and limitations in crop growth. The countries include Senegal, Cameroon and Uganda.

Yoon also met with a series of foreign leaders on the sidelines of the G7 summit.

Earlier Saturday, Yoon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to advance cooperation in the defense industry and high-tech fields, including digital, bio-health and space, the presidential office said. The two countries mark their 50th anniversary of bilateral ties this year.

Yoon also offered condolences to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over the recent deadly flooding in her country in a brief meeting.

He later held a bilatreal meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The G7 leaders issued a statement Friday entitled the "Hiroshima Vision on Nuclear Disarmament" which called on North Korea to "refrain from any other destabilizing or provocative actions," including further nuclear tests or launches that use ballistic missile technology.

They also committed to the goal of "North Korea's complete, verifiable, and irreversible abandonment of its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs" and any other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

It was the first time an exclusive statement on nuclear disarmament was released at a G7 summit.

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, chats with U.S. President Joe Biden during the second day of the G7 Summit on Saturday in Hiroshima, Japan. [UPI/YONHAP]

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]