1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se attended the High-level Meeting on Response to the Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak held at the UN headquarters on September 25 on the sidelines of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly. At the meeting, he announced the plan of the government of the Republic of Korea to contribute an additional five million US dollars in humanitarian assistance to help prevent the further spread of the Ebola virus.

ㅇ The high-level meeting came at the initiative of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to urge immediate and large-scale assistance from the international community in response to the Ebola crisis. The event brought together some 200 people, including leaders and ministers of the US and countries most affected by the virus, such as Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, among others; heads of international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank; and members of civil society, such as the Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross, working in virus-affected areas. In the meeting, the participants affirmed the urgent need for international measures to fight off the Ebola virus and pledged additional assistance.

2. In his remarks, Minister Yun pointed out that the spread of the Ebola virus is not merely a public healthcare issue of some affected countries, but a complicated crisis with impact on peace and security in Africa as a whole. In that vein, he stressed the need to respond to the Ebola crisis from the comprehensive perspective that factors in safety and peace in the region. Mentioning the ROK’s previous contribution of 600,000 US dollars in humanitarian assistance extended in the early stages of the Ebola outbreak, he formally announced the ROK’s plan to donate an additional five million US dollars in humanitarian assistance to join in the UN-led international efforts over the crisis in urgent need to be addressed.

3. In response to the spread of the Ebola virus, the UN, led by its Secretary-General Ban, drew up and announced a plan designed to prevent further damage from the virus and restore stability as soon as possible. The high-level meeting held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session is seen to have succeeded in winning tangible assistance to and support for the UN initiative from global leaders, including US President Barack Obama.

4. The ROK government had decided on the additional assistance over the Ebola crisis, taking into account overall factors, including the gravity of the Ebola virus crisis, international humanitarian efforts and relevant moves to prevent the virus from spreading to across the world. Despite its limited budget earmarked for humanitarian assistance, the government will continue to increase humanitarian assistance, thereby responding proactively to humanitarian crises of the international community. 


                    Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation