Yoon pledges $10m in humanitarian aid to address hunger crisis in Africa

President Yoon Suk Yeol said Monday that South Korea will provide $10 million worth of humanitarian aid to address the hunger crisis in Africa as part of a global initiative led by the Group of 20 major economies.

Yoon made the pledge as a member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, which was launched at the start of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It marks the first year the African Union joined as a regular member.

"As a founding member, South Korea will actively join G20's efforts to overcome hunger and poverty," Yoon said during the G20 session, vowing to implement the pledge by next month.

He also unveiled a plan to increase food aid through the United Nations' World Food Program from 100,000 tons to 150,000 tons next year.

Yoon called for support among G20 members to foster sustainable growth in developing nations as a long-term solution to the global food crisis, while encouraging developing nations to conduct financial and structural reforms to effectively use their budgets.

South Korea also plans to announce a financial contribution of 845.6 billion won ($608.2 million) to the World Bank's International Development Association fund, a 45 percent hike from 2021, during a replenishment meeting scheduled to be held in Seoul next month, he said.

During the G20 session, Yoon expressed concerns about North Korea's troop deployment to Russia, saying the ongoing war in Ukraine has entered a "critical phase."

"I strongly urge Russia and North Korea to immediately cease their illegal military cooperation and call on G20 leaders to unite in action to uphold the rules-based international order," he said. (Yonhap)