President, Bill Gates discuss global health, future cooperation

President Lee Jae Myung shakes hands with Bill Gates, chairman of the Gates Foundation, at the presidential office in Seoul, Thursday. Joint Press Corps

President Lee Jae Myung and Bill Gates, chairman of the Gates Foundation, discussed Korea's role in global health and the development of small modular reactors (SMRs) during a meeting in Seoul Thursday.

Gates has been meeting with politicians and business leaders during his visit to Korea, seeking Korea's collaboration on his philanthropic endeavors.

"I pay tribute to these collective efforts for the Earth and all humankind, and the Korean government will also look for ways to participate as much as possible," Lee told Gates during the meeting at the presidential office.

Gates said rapid shifts in geopolitics and technology offer Korea an opportunity to expand its role in developing solutions. He recalled founding Microsoft before creating the Gates Foundation in 2000, saying that while his software career had been rewarding, his focus was now on the foundation.

"I started a foundation in year 2000, so we just celebrated our 25th anniversary. And as part of the anniversary, I committed to take all the resources that I have and the foundation has and spend them over the next 20 years. So I’ll have a bit over $200 billion, and the main focus of that would be the work on global health," Gates said.

He pointed to the foundation’s role in reducing mortality in children under age 5 from about 10 million per year in 2000 to fewer than 5 million today, and said the new goal was to drive that figure below 2 million — an effort in which Korea’s advanced biotech sector would be critical.

President Lee Jae Myung speaks with Bill Gates, chairman of the Gates Foundation, at the presidential office in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters that Gates urged Korea — which has transformed from a major recipient of international aid to a donor nation — to keep contributing to global health.

"Gates noted that while the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and scientific technology brings development and progress, it also raises concerns such as increased health care costs and disparities in low-income countries, emphasizing that multinational support is needed at this time," Kang said.

She added that the two also discussed rising electricity demand driven by the growth of the AI and semiconductor industries, as well as prospects for next-generation nuclear power plants.

"With regard to Lee’s upcoming visit to the U.S., Chairman Gates offered words of encouragement to the president to engage in constructive dialogue with U.S. President Donald Trump. The president replied that, although it may be challenging, he would handle the conversation wisely," the spokesperson said.

The meeting was also attended by chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and Ha Jung-woo, the senior secretary for AI and future planning.

Bill Gates, front row right, chairman of the Gates Foundation, and Prime Minister Kim Min-seok head to a luncheon at the prime minister’s residence in central Seoul, Thursday. Joint Press Corps

Gates later met with reporters at a Seoul hotel, urging the Korean government to increase the annual budget allocated to official development assistance (ODA).

"South Korea as a rich country is a donor to these efforts. We've challenged the government a little bit to go back and look at their ODA spending. ODA spending is a bit less than 0.3 percent of GDP, and hopefully that will grow over time," Gates said during the press conference.

"The aspirational level for each country is 0.77 percent, which only a few countries exceed, and a number of countries reach, but Europe as a whole would be at 0.44 percent," he added, underscoring that he believes that "the rich countries should help uplift poor countries, and that that helps the global economy. It creates stability."

Gates noted that among various forms of ODA, the most impactful is investment in international multilateral health organizations.

"And it's great to have, South Korea helping lift up the other countries ... it's just another plus."

Bill Gates, chairman of the Gates Foundation, speaks during his meeting with members of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee in Seoul, Thursday. Joint Press Corps

Gates emphasized that Korea is a unique country, as it has transitioned from an aid recipient to a donor country, serving as a role model for other nations.

The trip is Gates’ first to Korea in three years. The Microsoft co-founder has devoted himself to philanthropy and global development through the Gates Foundation since retiring from the company he helped start in 1975.