Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
Nordic countries to share health tech solutions against COVID-19
The 2020 Nordic talks will take place at Oil Tank Culture Park in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Oct. 23, with speakers from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden sharing their respective experiences using health technology to fight COVID-19. / Courtesy of Embassy of Finland
By Yi Whan-woo
By Yi Whan-woo
The embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden in Korea will hold their second joint annual talks, Oct. 23, to share Nordic experiences to global challenges.
Titled “COVID-19 and health tech: the Nordic experience,” the 2020 edition will take place at Oil Tank Culture Park in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
It will invite a speaker from each of the four countries to “provide insights into Nordic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and introduce innovative health tech solutions,” according to the Finnish diplomatic mission.
The four are: Trine Radmann, head of International Relations at Norway Health Tech; Paivi Sillanaukee, ambassador for health and wellbeing at the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs; Hans Erik Henriksen, CEO of Healthcare Denmark; and Daniel Persson, head of innovation and partnerships at Min Doctor, Sweden's first digital caregiving service.
From the Korean side will be Ko Sang-won, senior research fellow and director of the international development cooperation research at the Korea Information Society Development Institute, and Yim Yeong-yi from the Health Industry Development Institute's Department of Healthcare Service Innovation.
The two Korean speakers will discuss the Korean New Deal, a package of measures introduced by President Moon Jae-in in July to spur economic growth in the post-coronavirus era, and growing demand for contactless services in the health sector.
Danish Ambassador Einar Jensen and Norwegian Ambassador Frode Solberg will moderate the event.
Ko will open the discussion with a presentation on the health-related aspects of the Digital New Deal, one of the two pillars of the Korean New Deal roadmap, with the Green New Deal being the other. Yim will give a speech on digital healthcare policy and the Digital New Deal that includes smart healthcare infrastructure, green energy and the digitization of social infrastructure.
Radmann will talk about Norwegian digital solutions to curbing COVID-19. Sillanaukee will discuss Finnish responses to the pandemic and relevant health tech innovations.
Henriksen will give a presentation on innovative Danish solutions to COVID-19.
Persson will introduce Sweden's contactless medical services and their application amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The four embassies launched the Nordic Talks in 2019, on the occasion of three of them ― Denmark, Norway and Sweden ― marking the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic ties with Korea.