ⓒYONHAP News

Leaders of the Group of Seven(G7) nations and guest countries, including South Korea, held meetings in Cornwall, Britain, over the weekend. During the G7 talks, they agreed to work together to boost COVID-19 vaccine supplies for less developed countries while addressing a wide range of global issues, including North Korea.

The world’s wealthiest democracies have pledged to provide over one billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to poorer nations, with half of them coming from the U.S.

After this year’s G7 summit in Cornwall, Britain on Sunday, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced what he called "another big step towards vaccinating the world."

[UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson]

"I'm very pleased to announce that this weekend leaders have pledged over one billion doses, either directly or through funding to COVAX. That includes 100 million from the U.K. to the world's poorest countries, which is another big step towards vaccinating the world."

Attending the G7 summit as one of four guests, South Korean President Moon Jae-in also unveiled Seoul's plan to offer 200 million U.S. dollars in aid through next year for the COVAX Advance Market Commitment(AMC).

Wrapping up the weekend event, the G7 leaders adopted a joint communique, addressing a wide range of global issues, including North Korea.

While welcoming the U.S.' renewed commitment to engage diplomatically with North Korea, the G7 leaders called for complete denuclearization and demanded that Pyongyang "respect human rights for all.”

On the sidelines of the multilateral gathering, Moon held talks with leaders from the U.K., France, Germany and Australia, as well as the European Union.

[S. Korea-Australia summit]

But the much anticipated South Korea-Japan summit did not take place despite the two sides' brief encounter amid strained bilateral relations. Sources said that Tokyo canceled a pull-aside meeting, which the two sides had agreed upon.

President Moon then made a state visit to Austria, where he agreed with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz to elevate the countries’ bilateral relations to a "strategic partnership."

Moon and Kurz assessed that since forging diplomatic ties in 1894, the two countries have continuously developed friendly relations based on mutual trust and shared values.

Moon said Seoul and Vienna will strengthen cooperation on the economy, science and technology, and the 5G network. Additionally, they will expand people-to-people exchanges and jointly address climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moon’s final stop was Spain, where he also agreed with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to upgrade the 71-year bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.

In a joint statement, the two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in politics, the economy, global peace and security, science and technology, culture, education, sports, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

On the occasion of Moon's visit, Seoul and Madrid signed MOUs in the areas of green growth and digitization that are considered future growth engines, as Spain is a low-carbon producer with renewable energy taking up 40 percent of its energy mix.