President Lee: "20th Anniversary of the Late Dr. Lee Jong-wook's Passing... Will Contribute to Advancing Global Health"

On May 20, President Lee Jae-myung commemorated the 20th anniversary of the passing of the late Dr. Jong-wook Lee, stating, "The Republic of Korea will carry on Dr. Lee's noble legacy by further strengthening solidarity with the international community and responsibly contributing to the improvement of global health."

On this day, President Lee wrote on his X account (formerly Twitter), "To mark the 20th anniversary of the passing of the late Dr. Jong-wook Lee, a memorial ceremony honoring his achievements and dedication will be held during the World Health Assembly in Geneva," expressing these sentiments.

President Lee Jae-myung is holding a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at a hotel in Andong, Gyeongbuk on the 19th. 2026.5.19 Yonhap News Agency.

President Lee said, "The late Dr. Jong-wook Lee was the first Korean to lead an international organization and devoted his life at the forefront of global health. Beginning by caring for Hansen's disease patients at St. Lazarus Village in Uiwang, he went on to serve as Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), leading the international community's response to deadly diseases facing humanity, such as polio, tuberculosis, and AIDS."

President Lee further mentioned, "In particular, through the global polio eradication campaign, Dr. Lee spearheaded the expansion of vaccine distribution and the strengthening of international cooperation systems, achieving a dramatic reduction in polio incidence worldwide. This is regarded as a turning point in the history of global health."

He added, "We will long remember Dr. Lee's belief and practice that 'the best health possible for the greatest number of people.'"

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