First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young and his counterparts from six other countries have discussed potential joint responses in case the COVID-19 pandemic is further prolonged. 

Seoul’s Foreign Ministry on Friday gave a briefing on the outcomes of the vice-ministerial telephone talks held earlier in the day among South Korea, the U.S., Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India and Vietnam. 

During the tenth edition of such meetings since March, the officials discussed how to facilitate cooperation against the coronavirus and also exchanged views on measures to resume economic activities and develop and distribute vaccines and treatments. 

They also agreed on the need to closely communicate with one another in the face of a protracted pandemic and to continue consultations.

Cho relayed Seoul’s proposals for an efficient global response to the disease, including easing travel restrictions for essential workforce and maintaining the global value chain.