보건복지부 영문홈페이지

2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Park Minsoo

Participated in the G20 Health Minister’s Meeting

to Discuss Opportunities for Enhancing Health Cooperation

- 2nd Vice Minister Park Minsoo attended the G20 Health Ministers’ Meeting -

- Concluded a Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) on health cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom -

2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Park Minsoo attended the G20 Health Ministers’ Meeting held in Gandhinagar*, India from August 18 to 19, to discuss overall plans geared to ▲ health emergencies prevention, preparedness, and response, ▲ strengthening cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector with for medical countermeasures such as vaccines, diagnostic devices, and treatments, and ▲ cooperation in digital health.

* Gandhinagar is the capital of the state of Gujarat, India, and its name is derived from Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the national movement in India

This year’s face-to-face meeting was hosted by India, which is taking the G20 Presidency and attended by the Health ministers from G20 members and invited states, along with delegates from international organizations, such as the World Health Organization(WHO).

2nd Vice Minister Park Minsoo, the head of Korean delegation, introduced Korea's infectious disease surveillance system for public health emergencies prevention, preparedness, and response agendas, firmly highlighting the importance of the One Health approach* and preparation for antibiotic resistance. Vice Minister Park also introduced the training program for biomanufacturing in low- and middle-income countries, which Korea is executing as a Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing as part of national efforts to ensure fair access to medical countermeasures. In the meantime, the Vice Minister underscored the cooperation of G20 countries and the role of international organizations in pointing out the importance of prompt supply and distribution of medicines during a crisis such as COVID-19. The Vice Minister introduced Korea's digital health policy, emphasizing the importance of digital health as a means to achieve universal health coverage in the post-pandemic period as well.

* A transnational and multidisciplinary approach in cooperation that recognizes the interlinked relationship between health of people, animals, and environment

Meanwhile, Vice Minister Park met with Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care of the United Kingdom, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) on health cooperation and discuss possible ways to further expand cooperation between the two countries in the future. With the signing of this MOU, the two sides agreed to work together to solidify mutual cooperation and deliver results further.

Additionally, Vice Minister Park met with Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Aged Care of Australia, to affirm their resolve to promote greater bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the health sector. Notably, they mutually agreed to promote cooperation in the pharmaceutical and bio sectors and pursue more cooperative projects in the health sector in the Western Pacific Region. ///