S. Korea pledges $5million to help Colombia fight COVID-19

The South Korean government has pledged 5 million U.S. dollars to help Korean War veterans in Colombia fight the COVID-19 crisis. Colombia is the only Latin American country that participated in the Korean War.

The Korean Embassy in Colombia and the Colombia office of the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) signed an MOU, memorandum of understanding, with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Colombia and the city government of Bogota on Thursday (local time) to help Colombia combat the COVID-19 crisis. The comprehensive emergency aid program is part of the Moon Jae-in administration’s grant project that aims to help developed countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The move came following a phone call between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Colombian President Ivan Duque in April.

Through the program, KOICA will help Colombia set up Korean-style COVID-19 testing stations, such as drive-thru test stations and provide facilities and equipment for intensive care units.

Colombia dispatched about 5,300 soldiers to the Korean War and 600 of them died during the war. “It is Korea’s turn to help Colombian people,” said Choo Jong-yeon, South Korean Ambassador to Colombia, during the MOU ceremony.


Ji-Sun Choi aurinko@donga.com