On May 18, President Moon Jae-in formally proposed three ideas to the World Health Organization (WHO) including international cooperation for the development of vaccines and drugs for COVID-19 and the fair distribution of such drugs.

In a special speech for the 73rdWorld Health Assembly, which was held via video link, President Moon said, “Based on the spirit of a greater freedom for all, I would like to make three proposals for overcoming the current crisis and preparing for its aftermath.” The World Health Assembly is the highest decision making agency of the World Health Organization. President Moon’s speech was recorded on video and released before the assembly.

What was notable from the president’s proposal was his call for cooperation beyond borders to develop vaccines and drugs for COVID-19. He further argued, “Such vaccines and treatments are public goods that must be distributed equitably to the whole world.” The president also said, “The Republic of Korea fully supports the efforts of the World Health Organization to develop vaccines and treatments.”

Whether or not members will adopt a resolution for a voluntary patent pool, which would allow the world to share the COVID-19 vaccine, is a key issue in the latest assembly. On May 17 (local time), The Guardian reported that European countries mostly held the view that a vaccine should be treated as the world’s public good, whereas the U.S. and some countries with major pharmaceutical companies opposed such views.

President Moon’s proposal was in line with a letter calling for the free supply of drugs and vaccines to all humankind, a letter signed by over 140 incumbent and former political leaders and experts including Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan and President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa.

President Moon proposed, “We must expand our humanitarian assistance for countries with vulnerable health care systems, and share our quarantine experiences,” and added, “Until the day everyone is free from COVID-19, we must work together and leave no one behind.”

In particular, he mentioned that the Republic of Korea was planning to provide “humanitarian assistance worth US$100 million” this year, and said, “Our response to the crisis, our immigration policies and other such experiences and data we have accumulated during this outbreak will be continuously shared with the international community.”

President Moon continued and said, “We must update the WHO International Health Regulations and other relevant norms and augment them with binding legal force.” He also suggested, “Infection-related data should be shared among countries in a more transparent manner, and an early warning system and a cooperation mechanism must be jointly establish.”

The president stressed, “COVID-19 is threatening our freedom, a universal virtue of all humankind, but it is solidarity and cooperation, based on such freedom, that will prove to be the strongest weapon we have to triumph over COVID-19.”

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