Prime Minister Jeong's UN Keynote Speech: "Equitable Access to COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments Must Be Ensured"

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is sharing the principles and know-how of COVID-19 prevention in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on the 4th (local time).

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on the 4th, "To overcome the crisis without leaving anyone behind, equitable access to developed vaccines and treatments must be guaranteed."

On the same day (local time), in a keynote video speech at the 31st United Nations General Assembly High-Level Special Session held at the UN Headquarters in New York, Prime Minister Chung stated, "The most certain way to be free from the enormous threat of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is the development of vaccines and treatments. Now more than ever, the whole world must accelerate cooperation for the development of vaccines and treatments to ensure that not a single life is sacrificed."

Introducing South Korea's efforts for equitable vaccine supply, Prime Minister Chung mentioned, "We will continue to actively participate in international cooperation so that vaccines and treatments, which will become essential public goods for humanity in the pandemic era, can be developed promptly and used equitably."

The special session was held to share policy experiences related to COVID-19 among countries and to discuss solidarity and overcoming measures in the international community. Representatives from over 140 countries delivered keynote speeches, and this is the first time a South Korean Prime Minister has given a keynote speech at a UN General Assembly special session.

Prime Minister Chung said, "There can be no peace and prosperity for me without the survival and well-being of my neighbors," and expressed, "Now is the time for the international community to once again demonstrate the power of solidarity and cooperation, just as when the UN was founded 75 years ago to uphold universal human values."

He continued, "The Korean people are overcoming this unprecedented crisis together with their neighbors. Each citizen willingly becomes a subject of quarantine," introducing South Korea's quarantine measures such as drive-through testing, community treatment centers, and electronic entry logs (QR codes).

He emphasized, "Until the war against COVID-19 ends, South Korea will actively share its quarantine experience and know-how with all neighboring countries and lay stepping stones for coexistence."

Prime Minister Chung referred to the 'Northeast Asia Disease Control and Health Cooperation Body,' proposed by President Moon Jae-in in his keynote speech at the UN General Assembly last September, which includes countries in the Northeast Asian region including North and South Korea, and called for international attention and support.

He requested, "COVID-19 reminds us of the necessity of multilateral cooperation at the regional level beyond a single country," and added, "I ask for the international community's attention and support for the efforts of regional countries to protect life and safety together and to build the foundation for peace in Northeast Asia."

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