Gates: "We will spend $200 billion, and hope for Korea's contribution"
President Lee Jae Myung is taking a commemorative photo with Bill Gates, Chairman of the Gates Foundation, at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 21st. Photo by Yonhap News
President Lee Jae Myung met with Bill Gates, Chairman of the Gates Foundation, and expressed his respect for the foundation's health initiatives. Chairman Gates introduced the foundation's goal of reducing the number of child deaths worldwide and requested contributions from Korea's bioindustry.
On the 21st, at the Yongsan Presidential Office, President Lee met with Chairman Gates and said, "Chairman Bill Gates developed Windows, which I also use for email, and enabled people around the world to see the world through a window. Now, I deeply respect that you are working on developing public goods for humanity, such as vaccines." He added, "I pay tribute to your collaborative efforts for the entire planet, and the Korean government will look for ways to participate as much as possible."
According to Kang Yoo Jung, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, President Lee also told Chairman Gates, "The Korean government is very interested in building next-generation nuclear power plants," and "There are many domestic companies developing small modular reactors." This statement came after Chairman Gates remarked that "the increasing demand for electricity in advanced industries such as artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors can be effectively addressed with such solutions."
Chairman Gates introduced the goal of reducing child mortality and asked for Korea's efforts. He stated, "In 2000, the annual number of deaths among children under five was 10 million, but now it has dropped below 5 million," and added, "Our goal is to reduce this number to under 2 million per year over the next 20 years."
He continued, "There are two main ways Korea can play a key role in this area. The first is by utilizing Korea's innovative products." Chairman Gates praised, "Korea's bioscience products are at a remarkable level," and noted, "Industries that were very small just ten years ago have now grown into significant and important sectors."
Chairman Gates also emphasized the importance of funding and resources. He cited the creation of vaccine funds for children and the Global Fund for addressing HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis as major changes in global health initiatives since the 2000s.
Gates: "We will spend $200 billion, and I hope Korea will contribute"
President Lee Jae Myung is speaking during a meeting with Bill Gates, chairman of the Gates Foundation, at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 21st. Photo by Yonhap News
Chairman Gates further explained, "At a recent event marking the foundation's 25th anniversary, I pledged to spend all my assets and the foundation's funds within 20 years. This amounts to about $200 billion, and the main focus will be on global health."
Regarding the changing global environment surrounding Korea, Chairman Gates said, "There have been geopolitical changes as well as technological shifts like AI," and added, "I believe this is a great opportunity for Korea to reassess its current strategies and strengthen its position in developing solutions."
Chairman Gates stated, "Korea is almost unique in having transformed from a recipient to a donor country in global welfare, and I hope it will continue to contribute to global health improvement." He also noted, "With the advent of AI science and technology, there is progress and advancement, but there are also concerns about rising healthcare costs and potential disparities in low-income countries. This is a time when multinational support is needed."
Meanwhile, Chairman Gates mentioned President Lee's upcoming summit with the United States, saying, "I hope you have a good conversation with President Donald Trump." According to spokesperson Kang, President Lee responded, "It will be a challenging task, but I will handle the conversation wisely."
Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft (MS), arrived in Korea on the 20th. This is his first visit to Korea in three years since 2022. Chairman Gates has been actively involved through the foundation in areas such as climate change, poverty eradication, and health. During this visit, he is also reportedly pursuing collaboration with Korean pharmaceutical companies to promote vaccine distribution projects for low-income countries.
On the same day, after meeting with President Lee, Chairman Gates is also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Kim Min Seok at the Seoul Residence. In addition, he is expected to attend a session of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, where he will introduce the foundation's global health initiatives and propose ways to expand cooperation with Korea.
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