1. The Government of the Republic of Korea and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) will hold the IVI 
Informational Meeting in Geneva on October 20, 2003.  This meeting will be participated by representatives 
from major governments and health-related organizations for discussions on the past development and 
future plans of IVI, cooperative relations between IVI and WHO, and long-term development strategies of IVI.

 
2. The ROK representatives at this meeting will include Ambassador to Geneva Chung Eui-yong, MOFAT 
Director-General for International Organizations Oh Joon, and related officials from Ministry of Education and 
Human Resource Development and Ministry of Health and Welfare.  IVI Director John D. Clemens and 
Associate Director for Institutional Development, Programs and Partnerships Luis Jodar, and WHO Secretary 
General Lee Jong-wook will also participate in the meeting.

 
3. IVI is the first international organization to be hosted by the ROK.  It was established in 1996 to conduce 
to world health, especially that of the children in the developing countries, with the signatures so far of 33 
countries and WHO.  The IVI's annual budget is about $13 million, and the supporters include the 
governments of the ROK, Sweden, Australia and Japan, WHO, UNDP, Bill Gates Foundation and private 
pharmaceutical companies.  The IVI Headquarters was established in the Seoul National University in June 
2003.

                                                                    Spokesperson of MOFAT
 

* unofficial translation