Minister Cho KyooHong of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHW), Korea attended the 2nd Korea-ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting and the 10th ASEAN Plus Three (Korea, Japan, China) Health Ministers Meeting recently. At these consecutive meetings, he discussed strategies for cooperation to enhance regional health security and promote health through digital health initiatives.

At this year's meetings, held under the theme "Transforming ASEAN Health Development Resilience in a New Context," participants shared their policy experiences and discussed regional cooperation strategies.

During the Korea-ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting, Minister Cho emphasised the importance of utilising digital technologyin a rapidly changing healthcare environment, characterised by global aging trends and emerging public health crises.

He also proposed a future cooperation vision that leverages Korea's strengths in the relevant field. The MoHW plans to support the improvement of healthcare systems in ASEAN member countries by establishing an "ASEAN Health Sector Digital Transformation Strategy" rooted in this vision.

At the ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers Meeting, Minister Cho highlighted Korea's consistent efforts to strengthen health security,including the operation of the WHO Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing, the enhancement of infection disease response capabilities, and the promotion of cooperation in digital health to address cross-border health emergencies in the post-pandemic era. He also proposed expanding cooperation into new health sectors, such as mental health promotion and antimicrobial resistance.