1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang, Kyung-wha attended the video conference on COVID-19 hosted by the “Alliance for Multilateralism” at 17:00, June 26, France time, and discussed “strengthening the multilateral health architecture and fight against infodemics.”

° The conference, held under the leadership of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic and the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, brought together minister-level officials of more than 30 countries including the Republic of Korea, the Directors-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNESCO, and the Secretary-General of the Reporters Without Borders (RSF), among others.

2. Minister Kang mentioned that there is a greater need for joint efforts of the international community as well as for the alliance for multilateralism in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and that the ROK government will contribute actively to enhancing the global health governance through improved implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR).

° The Minister added that, in a bid to lead cooperation with the international community on COVID-19 response, the ROK government had launched groups of friends for health security at the United Nations, the WHO and UNESCO; expressed concern over the spread of the infodemic on COVID-19; and urged each country to make efforts to ensure an accurate and free provision of and access to information.

3. In the conference, the participating countries agreed that multilateralism can facilitate more effective responses to international challenges posed by COVID-19 and shared their respective efforts and experiences in strengthening health governance and dealing with infodemics.

4. Minister Kang’s attendance at the “Alliance for Multilateralism” meeting is seen to have served as a good opportunity to express to the international community the commitment of the ROK to reinforcing the global health governance as an exemplary country in COVID-19 response.