First Lady Kim Jung-sook Attends International Vaccine Institute Event... Appointed Honorary Chairperson

First Lady Kim Jung-sook is delivering a speech urging solidarity and cooperation with member countries at the 'IVI Solidarity and Cooperation Day - Vaccine, a Drop of Miracle' event held on the morning of the 8th at the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Gwanak-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] On the 8th, First Lady Kim Jung-sook attended the 'Vaccine, A Drop of Miracle - IVI Solidarity and Cooperation Day' event held at the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) headquarters located in the Research Park of Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul.

At the event, First Lady Kim was appointed as the 4th Honorary Chairperson of the IVI Korea Supporters Association. According to the Blue House, the previous honorary chairpersons of IVI have traditionally been First Ladies (1st Lee Hee-ho, 2nd Kwon Yang-sook, 3rd Kim Yoon-ok).

The event was organized to encourage the efforts IVI has made over the past 23 years amid the global public health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). It also reaffirmed the international solidarity and cooperation commitment for 'borderless vaccine development and equitable distribution.'

About 50 people attended, including Park Neung-hoo, Minister of Health and Welfare; Lee Tae-ho, 2nd Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs; diplomatic delegations from 23 countries (EU Delegation, China, India, Germany, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Russia, etc.); representatives of domestic vaccine companies; IVI Korea Supporters Association members; and multinational researchers.

First Lady Kim emphasized international cooperation for the development of COVID-19 vaccines, one of humanity's most urgent challenges, and urged countries around the world to join IVI in borderless vaccine solidarity.

After the main event, First Lady Kim toured the typhoid vaccine research facility and the COVID-19 vaccine research facility within the institute and encouraged the researchers.