Assembly speaker meets WHO chief to discuss vaccines, N. Korea aid

National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug met with the World Health Organization (WHO) chief to discuss cooperation on vaccines and humanitarian aid to North Korea, his office said Wednesday.

During the meeting with WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Park also emphasized that South Korea is the "optimal location" for a bio and vaccine workforce development hub planned by the WHO, the office said.

"Korea is equipped with the educational infrastructure and global vaccine production facilities needed for vaccine development," Park said during the meeting at the WHO headquarters in Geneva on Tuesday (local time).

Ghebreyesus responded that South Korea is "the strongest candidate" to be selected for WHO's Bio Workforce Development Hub.

Park then discussed the role of the WHO in the supply of vaccines to North Korea and requested Ghebreyesus visit Pyongyang.

Ghebreyesus replied that he has the intention to visit South and North Korea at the same time.

The speaker is currently on a nine-day trip to Switzerland and Spain for meetings with his counterparts and international organization leaders. (Yonhap)