Minister Kang Kyung-wha Talks with UN High Commissioner for Refugees: "Hope to Strengthen Korea's Cooperation"

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo are meeting and talking at the National Assembly plenary session on the 20th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the afternoon of the 20th, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha held a phone call at the request of Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to discuss the current status of the response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) and ways to enhance cooperation between South Korea and UNHCR.

Minister Kang explained that the South Korean government is actively participating in the international community's response efforts through domestic measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as well as providing humanitarian aid on bilateral and multilateral levels. She also praised UNHCR for its various activities at the forefront of the COVID-19 response to protect and support the rights of vulnerable groups, including refugees.

In response, High Commissioner Grandi evaluated South Korea's COVID-19 response as highly effective and exemplary for other countries worldwide. He introduced UNHCR's recent COVID-19 response plan and expressed hope to strengthen cooperation with South Korea to support refugees and refugee-hosting countries globally.

UNHCR had previously requested a total of $255 million from the international community to support COVID-19 response efforts, including △strengthening water, sanitation, and hygiene systems △providing relief supplies to densely populated areas such as urban centers and refugee camps.

A Foreign Ministry official explained, "Both sides evaluated that cooperation between South Korea and UNHCR continues to strengthen, and they agreed to continue their collaboration to respond to humanitarian crises worldwide."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.