'COVID-19 will strengthen Korea-US healthcare ties'

Participants of the 11th American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) Healthcare Innovation Seminar speak during a panel discussion session of the seminar at the Millennium Hilton Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of AMCHAM Korea

By Nam Hyun-woo

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic will strengthen the ties between the Korean and U.S. healthcare industries, serving as a cornerstone for the two countries' mutual economic growth in the future.

Chung made the remarks during his video message for the 11th American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) Healthcare Innovation Seminar at the Millennium Hilton Seoul, Thursday.

“I expect Korea and the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic will further strengthen and expand the cooperation between the two countries' healthcare institutions, firms and hospitals,” Chung said.

“We will maintain close ties with the incoming U.S. administration led by President-elect Joe Biden and continue to strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance. I hope that all members of AMCHAM, who have served as a bridge between the two countries' economic cooperation and understanding, will also help.”

Rep. Kim Min-seok, a ruling Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker and chairman of the Health and Welfare Committee at the National Assembly, also underlined the importance of cooperation in the healthcare sector for the future growth of Korea.

“The healthcare sector was chosen as a strategic growth engine by the Korean government,” Rep. Kim said. “In that sense, support from AMCHAM is extremely important.”

U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris also said that the U.S. and Korea will continue to innovate together, and AMCHAM will play its role to improve the regulatory and business environment that supports and rewards innovation for both Korean and American businesses.

Under the theme of “Healthcare in the Post-COVID Era: Fostering Smart Medical Innovation,” the seminar highlighted that a complex collaborative effort amongst companies of all sizes, academia and government is critical for successfully combating the pandemic.

“Open innovation is about creating a strong network of people who can combine resources, ideas and technology in a new way. It is about co-creating an ecosystem and discussing how we can together support Korea and make it a business hub in healthcare,” said Jenny Zheng, area managing director of Janssen North Asia. “It's great to think about how we as a company can support the government and small companies to create great collaboration.”