S. Korea wants G-20 session for int'l cooperation on economy, crisis management: Cheong Wa Dae

SEOUL, March 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea hopes the leaders of the Group of 20 (G-20) nations will hold a teleconference for international coordination on ways to overcome the economic crisis, not just for the purpose of sharing its widely lauded response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday.

President Moon Jae-in floated the idea in phone talks with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, last Friday.

Chung Eui-yong, director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae, also had a phone conversation with U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien on Sunday and asked him to convey the proposal to President Donald Trump.

On the background of Moon's suggestion, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok cited the need to deepen global cooperation for "economic revival and crisis management."

He described it as a "more fundamental" reason why Moon made the offer.

Among what can be discussed, specifically, is the issue of allowing the entry of business people with medical certificates despite travel restrictions in place, Kang said at a press briefing.

The inaugural G-20 summit took place in 2008 in a joint campaign to address the then global financial and economic crisis.

A Cheong Wa Dae official later said there would be consultations on the proposed G-20 session among the diplomatic authorities of the member states.

As to South Korea's handling of the pandemic, praised by a number of foreign media, the official said the government has maintained the three principles of transparency, oneness and democratic procedures.

Drive-thru testing is becoming an "international standard" amid news reports that some countries are seeking to import South Korea's diagnosis kits, he added on the customary condition of anonymity.

Nonetheless, the official stressed the government will never be complacent in efforts to contain the virus and won't forget the dedication of medical and quarantine workers across the nation.

lcd@yna.co.kr
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