- Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Attends G7 Development Ministers’ Meeting (October 16) -

- Korea, invited to attend G7 Development Ministers’ Meetings as an associated partner for the first time, joins three meetings this year -

Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Chang Wook-jin attended the G7 Development Ministers’ Meeting held in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 16, 2026, on the margins of the IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings (October 12–18). He took part in discussions to review and consolidate the outcomes of this year’s G7 development agenda including “mutually beneficial international partnerships — a key G7 priority for the year — as well as “international partnerships in the health sector.”

For the first time this year, Korea was invited by France, the G7 President, as a key partner country to the G7 Development Ministers’ Meetings and relevant working group meetings. Korea engaged in in-depth discussions with G7 members on the future of international development cooperation amid a rapidly changing global order and the global polycrisis. Following earlier sessions in Paris in April and New York in September, Korea once again participated as an associated partner in this meeting in Bangkok.

The meeting brought together G7 members and invited countries — namely Korea,  India and Kenya — as well as major international organizations, such as the World Bank, UNICEF and UNDP. Participants agreed that global health cooperation should focus on enabling individual countries to attain self-reliance. They also reviewed the concept of “mutually beneficial international partnerships,” which will guide the future path in the midst of a shifting international development landscape.

Deputy Minister Chang stressed that health cooperation is a strategic objective of the Korean government’s development assistance, reaffirming that Korea will continue to support country-led efforts to strengthen its health capacities. He also commended France for its contribution to shaping the direction of international development cooperation as the G7 President, and noted that Korea, as the G20 President in 2028, will carry on the momentum of discussions on this year’s G7 development agenda.

The Korean government will continue to contribute to building an effective framework for international development cooperation and shaping global norms for sustainable development, thereby elevating Korea’s standing as a responsible global power.