"With Solidarity and Cooperation" … Mayor Park Won-soon Proposes Establishment of International Organization for Infectious Disease Response

Propose Intercity Council Idea at CAC Global Online Meeting

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] "From now on, we will experience an unfamiliar world where we have to live with viruses. We must take a path no one has ever taken. It becomes a path when many walk together."

Park Won-soon, Mayor of Seoul, proposed the formation of an inter-city consultative body for infectious disease response, tentatively named CAAP (Cities Alliance Against Pandemic), to mayors of cities worldwide.

On the 2nd, at the online international conference hosted by Seoul City, 'CAC Global Summit 2020,' during the 'City Government Mayors' Meeting' program, Mayor Park delivered a keynote speech titled "Seoul's Proposal to Overcome Urban Crises in the Pandemic Era," introducing Seoul's S-Quarantine know-how and presenting the idea of establishing CAAP, the first international organization among cities in the field of infectious diseases. The proposal aims to establish a preemptive response to global infectious disease situations like COVID-19 through solidarity and cooperation among cities and to develop infectious disease response methods applicable to cities worldwide.

Similar to the newly coined term "K-Quarantine," referring to the "quarantine Korean wave," Seoul promoted its COVID-19 quarantine posture using the expression "S-Quarantine," attaching the English initial of Seoul. The three core elements of Seoul's S-Quarantine emphasized were ▲ speed, transparency, and innovation ▲ leadership of city government aligned with the central government and high civic awareness ▲ solidarity and cooperation within the international community.

Mayor Park said, "In Korea, local governments and the central government were a perfect 'one team,'" adding, "When Seoul City proactively applied innovative methods, the central government quickly expanded them nationwide."

He also emphasized, "After Seoul relatively succeeded early in quarantine, it sent quarantine supplies to other sister and friendly cities struggling with COVID-19," and stated, "In today's hyper-connected society, only solidarity and cooperation save each other. We must put out the fire next door to keep our own home safe."

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