SEOUL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th April, 2020) South Korean President Moon Jae-in and microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who is also the head of the world's largest private charity, agreed to enhance cooperation in developing a coronavirus vaccine in a phone call on Friday, the presidential administration said.
In the call, Gates praised the country's fight against the coronavirus, calling it an example for other countries.
He added that the fact that South Korea was shipping COVID-19 testing kits to other countries proved its success in countering the virus. The US philanthropist expressed hope that cooperation with Seoul could help accelerate the development of not only the vaccine but also medications for the coronavirus treatment.
Moon agreed on the importance of cooperation. He noted that South Korea was the first Asian country to join the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, co-founded by the Gates foundation. The country, he added, is now planning to start contributing to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.
The president mentioned that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation had provided support to the Seoul-based International Vaccine Institute. The Gates foundation and the South Korean government are also co-investing in Right Fund, an NGO set up in 2018 by the South Korean Heath Ministry and five national biopharmaceutical companies to help developing countries.
