Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-cheol on Feb. 23 talks to World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at an online event for WHO's Global Biomanufacturing Workforce Training Hub. (Ministry of Health and Welfare

Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-cheol on Feb. 23 talks to World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at an online event for WHO’s Global Biomanufacturing Workforce Training Hub. (Ministry of Health and Welfare)

By Xu Aiying and Kim Hayeon

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Feb. 23 named Korea as the site of its Global Biomanufacturing Workforce Training Hub.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online event for the facility that he was happy to announce Korea’s designation.

On the reasons for the selection, the global health body cited the manufacturing capacity for vaccines and bioproducts by Korean corporations, training facility infrastructure and the government’s active willingness.

President Moon Jae-in on Feb. 24 welcomed the decision, saying on social media, “This is the result of Korea’s internationally recognized excellence for its biopharmaceutical production capacity and training infrastructure.”

“This is the international community’s assessment of the government’s leading contributions to overcoming the global health crisis by strengthening vaccine cooperation with various countries and organizations, like the Korea-U.S. global vaccine partnership.”

“We will actively share our experience and know-how with the international community and contribute to vaccine self-sufficiency and resolution of vaccine inequality,” he added. “The government’s goal of becoming a top-five world vaccine power and a leading country in the bio sector is approaching reality.”

xuaiy@korea.kr