Lee Meets WHO Chief: "Expand Contributions by Korean Talent to Global Health"... Strengthen AI and Biotech Cooperation

Receives WHO Director-General Tedros on his first visit to South Korea since taking office
Praises training of more than 4,000 people from over 100 countries in vaccines and therapeutics
Reviews response to Ebola in Africa

President Lee Jaemyung said he would expand South Korea's role and contributions in global health when he met with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Oct. 21. The two sides also agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology and expand international coordination for joint responses to infectious diseases.

President Lee Jae-myung shakes hands with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus before their meeting at the Blue House on October 21, 2026. Yonhap News Agency, October 21, 2026.

Kim Seongwan, spokesperson for the Blue House, said in a written briefing on Oct. 21 that President Lee had met with Director-General Tedros at the Blue House that afternoon to discuss ways to cooperate on global health. Tedros's visit to South Korea was timed to coincide with the 2026 World Bio Summit, co-hosted by South Korea and the WHO. It was his first visit since taking office as director-general in 2017.

President Lee and Director-General Tedros praised the Seoul Declaration, announced at the summit on Oct. 21. They also exchanged views on key issues, including expanding South Korea's role in global health, preventing and responding to infectious diseases, and cooperation in AI and biotechnology. President Lee said, "South Korea's role and contributions in the international community need to expand further," adding, "We will continue to broaden the scope of our cooperation with the WHO in global health and health security."

President Lee noted South Korea's experience in developing from a recipient of international aid into a major contributor, and asked Director-General Tedros to support greater opportunities for talented South Koreans to contribute to the WHO. In response, Director-General Tedros expressed his gratitude for South Korea's contributions to its cooperation with the WHO and the advancement of global health. He also agreed with President Lee's view that the contributions and roles of member states should be appropriately reflected within the WHO.

The two sides also agreed to expand cooperation in AI and biotechnology, areas in which South Korea is competitive. Director-General Tedros said that cooperation between South Korea and the WHO in these fields was already active, and stressed the importance of international cooperation that prioritizes equity so that the benefits of AI technology are not concentrated in particular countries or groups.

The importance of multilateral cooperation in responding to infectious diseases was also a key topic. President Lee said, "Infectious diseases are a shared challenge for the international community that no single country's efforts alone can resolve, making close international coordination essential for prevention and response." Director-General Tedros agreed and highlighted the achievements of the WHO Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing, established in South Korea. Through the hub, more than 4,000 people from over 100 countries have received training related to vaccines and therapeutics.

The recent Ebola outbreak in Africa was also discussed. When President Lee asked about the spread of Ebola and the WHO's response, Director-General Tedros said, "There are still concerns about its spread in some parts of Africa, and the WHO is working closely with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)."

The longstanding ties between South Korea and Ethiopia also came up during the meeting. Director-General Tedros, who is from Ethiopia, recounted planting two trees symbolizing friendship between the two countries at the Ethiopia Memorial Hall in Chuncheon during a visit to South Korea in 2013, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Ethiopia. He also said he hoped to visit during this trip to see how much the trees had grown.

Concluding the meeting, President Lee said, "I hope South Korea and the WHO will continue working together, on the basis of close cooperation, to advance global health and strengthen the capacity to respond to infectious diseases."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.