By Lee Kyoung Mi and Lee Jihae

The government has pledged USD 10 million in humanitarian aid this year for Rohingya refugees and the countries hosting them.

Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Tae-ho on Oct. 22 announced the measure at the virtual session of the Conference on Sustaining Support for the Rohingya Refugee Response.

He cited the Myanmar government's measures for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of the refugees, saying he hopes Nay Pyi Taw continues to cooperate with the United Nations and the region's countries for achieving "meaningful progress" in the issue. 

The vice minister added that Seoul will continue to support the underprivileged and those suffering from humanitarian crises such as women, children and refugees in the region, as well as actively participate in global discussions on resolving such crises.

The conference was jointly held by the U.S., the U.K., the European Union and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. Participants agreed on continuing global aid for Rohingya refugees both in Myanmar and other countries and cooperating in the formulation of fundamental solutions to the crisis.

The plight of the Rohingya refugees emerged as a human rights crisis from 2016-17, as hundreds of thousands of them from Myanmar's Rakhine region fled to Bangladesh due to armed conflict between Myanmar government forces and armed Muslim militants. 

km137426@korea.kr