President Moon Jae-in says South Korea will donate an additional five million U.S. dollars to assist in the swift distribution of COVID-19 vaccines among Southeast Asian countries.

Moon made the remark at the start of his virtual summit with the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) on Tuesday. 

Moon said with the donation, to be made via the ASEAN COVID-19 Respond Fund, South Korea will strengthen cooperation in building a stable global vaccine supply to support the economic recovery of ASEAN nations. 

Stressing the importance of Seoul’s deepening friendship with the regional bloc, which he described as a model for solidarity and cooperation amid the pandemic, Moon pledged his country will work with ASEAN in overcoming COVID-19 and in together creating an inclusive and sustainable future. 

The South Korean leader also called for continuous ASEAN support towards achieving the complete denuclearization and lasting peace of the Korean Peninsula via a prompt resumption of inter-Korean talks and dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea. 

Moon and ASEAN leaders also adopted a joint statement that assesses the outcomes of bilateral cooperation and reaffirms joint will to strengthen cooperation in the future.