Ministry of Foreign Affairs Explores 'South Asia Health and Poverty Eradication Cooperation Measures' in the COVID-19 Era

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Korea-South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Partnership Seminar was held on the 3rd, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Asia-Pacific Bureau and the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies India Research Institute, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 4th. Representatives from the eight SAARC member countries attended the seminar.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been hosting the "Korea-SAARC Partnership Seminar" annually since 2010, inviting government officials and experts from the eight SAARC member countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives) to review the development of partnerships between South Asian countries and Korea and to promote discussions on future cooperation directions.

Considering the difficulties for foreign officials to visit Korea due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the seminar was conducted in a format that broadcasted video presentations by SAARC headquarters officials and real-time free discussions between Korean and resident SAARC member country officials.

The seminar was attended by senior officials from the foreign and health ministries of SAARC member countries, resident SAARC member country officials in Korea, and key domestic and international think tanks and academia, including the India Research Institute at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, to discuss in depth cooperation on COVID-19 health and quarantine measures and poverty eradication between Korea and the South Asian region.

SAARC officials highly praised the quarantine achievements led by the excellent capabilities of Korean medical staff and expressed expectations for the application and expansion of K-quarantine to the South Asian region. They also showed interest in cooperation measures between Korea and South Asia regarding inequality and poverty issues caused by COVID-19.

Korean officials agreed on the need for meticulous health and quarantine cooperation considering the specific characteristics of the South Asian region, and introduced various social safety net systems for protecting vulnerable groups in the COVID-19 era, such as emergency employment stabilization subsidies and support for small business owners.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "This event, held amid growing domestic and international attention to the social and economic inequality issues brought about by COVID-19, is evaluated as an opportunity to share experiences in infectious disease response and social safety net expansion between Korea and the South Asian region, where health and poverty issues are emerging, and to enhance cooperative measures between Korea and South Asia."