The National Health Insurance Service hosted a meeting with the head of the World Health Organization and officials from Korean WHO collaborating centers to discuss ways to strengthen international health cooperation. Participants shared each institution's achievements and explored expanding cooperation in response to shifts in the global health environment.
The National Health Insurance Service said the meeting was held on Oct. 22 at the Shilla Hotel's guest house in Seoul, with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and officials from domestic WHO collaborating centers attending.
The gathering was arranged to coincide with Tedros' visit to Korea, with the aim of sharing the work of domestic WHO collaborating centers and discussing closer exchanges and future cooperation among institutions. Tedros traveled to Korea to attend the 2026 World Bio Summit, co-hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the WHO.
About 20 domestic WHO collaborating centers took part, including the National Health Insurance Service, the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the National Cancer Center, the National Institute of Environmental Research, the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, the Korean Institute of Tuberculosis and the Hospice Research Institute at the Catholic University of Korea.
The event opened with welcoming remarks by Kang Cheong-hee, president of the National Health Insurance Service, followed by congratulatory remarks from Tedros. Park Mi-hyun, director of the Hospice Research Institute at the Catholic University of Korea, then outlined the current activities of domestic WHO collaborating centers, and representatives of centers in each field presented their main achievements and future cooperation tasks. Participants also exchanged views on the direction of cooperation between the WHO and domestic collaborating centers, drawing on each institution's expertise and experience.
"As cooperation between countries and across fields becomes more important for building an international health security system, the role of WHO collaborating centers is more critical than ever," Kang said. "I hope this meeting serves as an opportunity to share current issues for future cooperation between the WHO and domestic WHO collaborating centers, and for each institution's expertise and experience to translate into tangible results in international health cooperation."
Tedros said collaborating centers around the world contribute significantly to the WHO's research, education and technical support. "It is the WHO's mission to work closely with collaborating centers in each country and seek directions for development in line with the rapidly changing international health situation," he said.