South Korea-led 'Northeast Asia Disease Control and Health Cooperation Body' Holds First Working-Level Meeting with 5 Countries... North Korea Absent

President Moon Jae-in's UN General Assembly Proposal Starts with 5 Countries Including the US, China, Russia, Mongolia in 3 Months
Japan's Participation in Cooperation Body Undecided

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that a five-country working-level video conference for the launch of the 'Northeast Asia Quarantine and Health Cooperation Body,' proposed by President Moon Jae-in last September, will be held on the evening of the 29th.

The meeting will be attended by diplomatic and health officials as well as private experts from five countries including South Korea, the United States, China, Russia, and Mongolia. Participants are expected to share best practices in responding to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and discuss regional cooperation measures for cross-border health security crises. Representatives from the Japanese side, including officials from the embassy in South Korea, are expected to attend, but their participation in the cooperation body is still under further review.

At a regular briefing that day, spokesperson Choi Young-sam explained, "Following President Moon's proposal of the 'Northeast Asia Quarantine and Health Cooperation Body' during the UN General Assembly, the first working-level meeting for its launch will be held via video conference," adding, "After proposing the cooperation body, the meeting was convened to gather the regional countries' consensus on the importance of cross-border regional cooperation."

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, in a video welcome address, is expected to emphasize the necessity of regional cooperation in response to cross-border health security crises and express hope that the scope and depth of cooperation among participating countries will continue to expand, starting with this working-level video conference.

North Korea's anticipated participation did not materialize. Spokesperson Choi stated, "Although North Korea is not participating in this meeting, given the urgency of regional cooperation related to COVID-19 response, the door remains open for North Korea's future participation, while prioritizing the launch of this cooperation body among countries that are currently able to participate," adding, "The government intends to use today's launch meeting as a stepping stone to steadily develop practical cooperation among related countries and gradually promote the expansion of participating countries, including North Korea."

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