RoK offers 10 mln USD to developing countries in COVID-19 vaccine support

Seoul (VNA) - The Republic of Korea (RoK) will provide 10 million USD in COVID-19 vaccine support to developing countries, President Moon Jae-in announced at the RoK-Mekong Summit, held online on November 13.

He said the scheme will be conducted through “COVAX” - a global initiative aimed at providing countries with equal access to safe and effective vaccines.

The RoK leader also pledged to work closely with Mekong nations in providing quarantine equipment and improving public healthcare capacity.

He lauded the efficiency of trade activities between the RoK and the five Mekong River nations - Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand - despite the impact of COVID-19, as trade volumes so far this year are similar to those of last year.

The RoK will develop a bilateral project to restore the ecosystem along the Mekong River, manage water resources, and prevent natural disasters, he said, adding that Seoul will also seek the participation of international organisations such as the UN.

The RoK is also planning to raise its contribution to the Mekong-RoK cooperation fund, he said.

In the previous RoK-Mekong Summit in November last year, the RoK and Mekong countries adopted the Mekong-Han River Declaration, which called for the strengthening of cooperation in the fields of natural resources, agriculture, and environment through the sharing of the RoK’s experience in boosting rapid growth./.