Minister Jeong Hwang-geun Meets UN WFP Secretary-General: "Thankful for South Korea's Rice Aid"

Minister Jeong Hwang-geun of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (left) is shaking hands with David Beasley, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), on the 14th at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. (Photo by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs)

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Son Seon-hee] On the 14th, Jeong Hwang-geun, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, held a bilateral meeting with David Beasley, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, to discuss the progress of food aid and international cooperation in response to the food crisis.

This was the first face-to-face meeting between the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the UN WFP Executive Director in nearly three years due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the meeting, Executive Director Beasley expressed his gratitude, stating, "The 50,000 tons of rice that the Republic of Korea provided as aid in 2021 have recently been distributed without any issues to six recipient countries, receiving much praise from local residents."

In response, Minister Jeong requested "WFP's special attention and cooperation to ensure that the 50,000 tons of rice provided as aid this year are safely delivered to the beneficiaries."

Both parties deeply agreed on the increased necessity of international cooperation for food aid amid the global food crisis and agreed to work closely together to respond to the food crisis in developing countries, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reported.

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