1. The “Group of Friends of Solidarity for Global Health Security” at the United Nations, which was launched at the initiative of the Republic of Korea in order for the UN to respond to health security issues, such as COVID-19, delivered a joint statement at the Security Council High-level Open Debate on the “Maintenance of international peace and security: Implications of COVID-19” held on the morning of July 2, New York time, in a videoconference format.

2. In its joint statement delivered in writing, the Group of Friends defined COVID-19 as a threat to the maintenance of international peace and security and welcomed the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2532. The Group also stressed the need to support the Secretary-General’s appeal for an immediate global ceasefire and to stop any military threat, the significance of a global response based on the guiding values of multilateralism and solidarity, the importance of protecting vulnerable populations, including women and children, and the central role of the UN and the significance of UN peace operations in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

° Being the Group’s first joint statement at a UN meeting, it is seen to have delivered the Group’s united voice on the international community’s response to COVID-19 and thereby have paved the way for its leading participation in the UN discussions on international health cooperation.

° The ROK government played a leading role throughout the course, including suggesting making a statement at the Security Council and leading the drafting of its text and the negotiations on it.

3. The Security Council High-level Open Debate was chaired by Mr. Heiko Maas, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Chair country of the Security Council for July, and featured briefings by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer.

4. As the country that proposed creating the Group of Friends and serving as its co-chair, the ROK government will lead discussions and continue to carry out various activities in the Group, including joint statements at UN conferences and side events for discussions on health security issues at the UN. By doing so, the ROK plans to contribute to the solidarity and cooperation at the UN aimed at  addressing global health security challenges, including COVID-19 response.