The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW, Minister Cho KyooHong) announced that a Korean government delegation, led by Minister Cho as head of the delegation, is attending the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA), organized by the World Health Organization (WHO), currently being held in Geneva, Switzerland, from Monday, May 19 to Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

The theme of this year’s assembly is “One World for Health.” The session opened with a keynote speech by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, followed by statements from the heads of delegations of member states.

Minister Cho is attending the assembly in person from Monday, May 19 to Wednesday, May 21 and has delivered a keynote speech calling for enhanced collaboration among WHO member states to address healthcare challenges and uphold the right to health for all. He will also hold bilateral meetings with representatives from key WHO member states and the WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific to exchange views on agenda items, including WHO’s proposed Programme Budget for 2026–2027, the Pandemic Agreement, and international health cooperation. These meetings will reaffirm Korea’s strong partnerships with other member states. In addition, Minister Cho will attend a side event on healthy aging as a representative of the co-sponsoring countries, where he will deliver opening remarks and share Korea’s healthy aging policies, including the Long-Term Care Insurance system designed for the era of super-aging.

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) Commissioner Jee Youngmee will also hold bilateral meetings with key WHO officials and institutions such as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to discuss global health security and Korea’s contributions in this field. Commissioner Jee will further engage in a range of health diplomacy activities, including the Ministerial Meeting of the Alliance of Champions against AMR; a Unitaid-hosted side event on strengthening community capacity for pandemic preparedness and response; and a side event on Group A Streptococcus, co-hosted by the KDCA and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI).

Meanwhile, the Korean government delegation will participate in technical discussions on topics such as the proposed Programme Budget for 2026–2027, primary health care, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), mental health, antimicrobial resistance, traditional medicine, health and the environment, and the elimination of substandard and falsified medical products. The delegation will present Korea’s policy positions and actively engage in discussions with other member states.

Minister Cho stated, “As the world faces growing health threats―from natural disasters to emerging infectious disease―closer cooperation and solidarity among WHO member states are more important than ever. Through our participation in this year’s WHA, we hope to share Korea’s successful transition from a recipient to a donor country and work together with other member states to find solutions to today’s pressing global health challenges.”///