Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates urges South Korea to increase aid for global health

SEOUL - Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates called on Tuesday (Aug 16) for South Korea to play a bigger role in global health and to increase aid, working with his foundation to strengthen the fight against diseases.

"This is a crisis moment for global health. This is also a fantastic time for our foundation to strengthen partnership with (South) Korea, providing great ideas for new tools and more resources to help those in need," Mr Gates said in a speech at the National Assembly.

Mr Gates arrived in South Korea late on Monday to sign an agreement with the government and outline their work on global health security, improvements to health equality and the fight against infectious diseases.

"Korea is poised to be a leader in this work," Mr Gates said, citing its support of multilateral global health initiatives such as a US$200 million (S$276 million) pledge to vaccine-sharing scheme Covax.

Mr Gates also highlighted the country's vaccine manufacturing, diagnostic manufacturing, R&D capabilities and diagnostic capabilities as strengths.

Ahead of the speech, he met with South Korean National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo and other lawmakers, where they primarily discussed how to expand health cooperation and details on what he sees as a bigger role for South Korea.

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During the talks, Mr Gates called for increasing funding for groups that help improve health conditions in poor countries and prevent pandemics, and asked if South Korea would be able to scale up its international aid to 1.3 per cent of GDP.

South Korean lawmakers said there was consensus for increasing aid and promised to "play a leading role in responding to global pandemics by expanding its participation in Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) funds starting next year."

The CEPI is a foundation that works with public, private, philanthropic and civil society organisations to develop vaccines against future epidemics.

Mr Gates is also scheduled to meet with President Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday.