CHAPTER
4: 1997–2016
5. Summary
G
lobalization is a driving force in the 21st century, presenting both opportunities and challenges. Chief among those challenges is the need to promote development and eradicate poverty. In September 2000, heads of state and government meeting at the United Nations in New York unanimously adopted the Millennium Declaration and the related Millennium Development Goals intended to guide progress over the next 15 years. In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a new development agenda and the related SDGs, setting a broad sustainability agenda that addresses the universal needs of all people.
The Republic of Korea’s ongoing development allowed it to increase its financial contributions to WHO, offer various institutions to serve as WHO collaborating centres, and provide expert staff members to work with WHO at the global, regional and country levels. The late Lee Jong-wook became the first Korean to serve as WHO Director-General, and Han Sang-tae was the first Korean to serve as WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, a post now held by his countryman, Shin Young-soo. Over the last several decades, the Republic of Korea has evolved from a recipient of WHO support to a donor.
© DHPM
In the Republic of Korea, a growing economy over the past two decades decreased the need for donor assistance and WHO support that was once so critical. As a result, the WHO Office in the Republic of Korea was downgraded to Country Liaison Office in 2000 and finally closed in 2012. In fact, the Republic of Korea has established a stronger cooperative relationship with WHO, becoming a
member of the International Agency for Research on Cancer and signing on to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Despite those changes, WHO support to the Republic of Korea continued in selected areas, including measles elimination, the development of a new tuberculosis control policy, the control of a MERS outbreak and facilitating the Republic of Korea’s support to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
QQ Shin Young-soo is re-elected for a second term and will serve as WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific until January 2019.
140 70 years working together for health – the World Health Organization and the Republic of Korea
