President Yoon Suk Yeol says South Korea will contribute to the global fight against COVID-19 by providing its homegrown vaccines to countries in need. 

Yoon made the remark in his opening speech for the 2022 World Bio Summit in Seoul on Tuesday. 

He said South Korea has succeeded in developing COVID-19 vaccines, referring to SKYCovione developed by SK bioscience and authorized by local health authorities last month as booster shots. 

The president said the country will help guarantee fairness in global COVID-19 vaccine distribution and help enhance other countries’ production capacity as a vaccine workforce training hub. 

Making mention of global efforts in overcoming the pandemic over the past three years, he said the world should learn the lesson that trans-border solidarity and cooperation is needed to prepare for another pandemic and healthcare risks. 

It is the first time South Korea is hosting the two-day World Bio Summit in partnership with the World Health Organization as its co-host.