[Square] Birds Build Nests on Windy Days

Ambassador Lim Sung-nam to ASEAN

The threat of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is no exception for ASEAN. As of April 6, the total number of confirmed cases in the 10 ASEAN countries has exceeded 13,000, and the figure continues to rise. ASEAN countries are making strenuous efforts through various measures such as city lockdowns, entry and exit restrictions, and nighttime curfews. However, most ASEAN countries face significant difficulties in responding to infectious diseases due to the number of hospital beds and the proportion of national health expenditure being below the world average, as well as poor supply of medical personnel and equipment.

Amid these challenges, ASEAN has made a meaningful contribution to securing the golden time for domestic quarantine efforts during the COVID-19 response process.

At the end of February, as the number of confirmed cases surged domestically, the demand for medical protective equipment also increased sharply. At that time, due to difficulties in domestic procurement, Indonesia, where the sewing and garment industry is well developed, urgently participated in producing protective suits for us. In particular, with the active participation of Korean community companies based in Indonesia, it became possible to transport about 2 million protective suits to Korea. In mid-March, 80,000 sterile gowns produced by a Korean company located in Myanmar were urgently airlifted to Korea via our military aircraft. In this way, the supply chain within ASEAN became a great support at a moment when we desperately needed it.

In ASEAN as well, Korea’s COVID-19 response is highly appreciated, and there is a desire for cooperation and support with us. Almost all ASEAN member countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia, have shown interest in our diagnostic kits and have requested support for medical equipment and experience sharing from Korea. When I explained our COVID-19 response strategy at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta last month, all ASEAN ambassadors unanimously expressed their hope for cooperation with us.

This cooperation is highlighted not only at the Korea-ASEAN level but also at the ASEAN Plus Three (Korea-China-Japan) level. At the ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers’ virtual meeting held on April 7, Korea introduced its domestic measures so far and declared its willingness to cooperate with ASEAN in three areas: infectious disease spread suppression, training of medical experts, and technology sharing. ASEAN health ministers also expressed active interest and willingness to cooperate, and a consensus was formed that cooperation and linkage among East Asian countries is the regional solution for responding to COVID-19.

The joint COVID-19 response efforts in East Asia are now expected to be elevated to the summit level. Korea, the chair country of this year’s Korea-China-Japan summit, and Vietnam, the ASEAN chair country, have been preparing to hold an ASEAN Plus Three virtual summit for joint response to the COVID-19 crisis. At this upcoming summit, the 13 countries of ASEAN and Korea-China-Japan will share experiences and wisdom and seek joint response measures. In particular, Korea’s role and contribution as a model country in COVID-19 response are expected to be highlighted again among ASEAN countries, and requests for cooperation from ASEAN countries are expected to increase.

President Moon Jae-in quoted a poem by Jeong Ho-seung at the ASEAN Plus Three summit last November: “Birds build their nests on days when the wind blows strongly, to build a sturdy house that can withstand strong winds.” At that time, the intention was to create a stronger foundation for cooperation in East Asia in the face of the global spread of protectionism and increasing uncertainty, but now, with the storm of the COVID-19 virus raging, the need for a sturdy house has become even greater.

Recently, Albert Camus’s novel The Plague has been read again. The human-centered lesson that we must protect human dignity, solidarity, and fraternity in the face of the fear of plague is hoped to be more actively realized through the New Southern Policy, which is built on the three pillars of “People, Prosperity, and Peace.” For now, we must focus on overcoming the difficulties right in front of us. However, when all these situations are over, the lessons we have learned and the efforts we have made to create a future will also be important criteria for evaluation. I hope that a Korea-ASEAN cooperative house that does not falter even in stronger winds will be built with the power of the “health Hallyu.”