SEOUL – In a significant meeting on Wednesday, President Yoon Suk Yeol engaged in talks with World Bank President Ajay Banga, focusing on mental health policies, development aid, and digital technology. This meeting marks another step in ongoing discussions between South Korea and the World Bank.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Banga’s visit to Seoul is part of his tour of World Bank member countries following his inauguration in June. The discussions revisited the topic of mental health policies, previously addressed during their talks at the Group of 20 summit in India last September. President Yoon expressed his eagerness to continue collaborating with the World Bank to advance mental health initiatives.
Yoon also reinforced South Korea’s ambition to become a “global pivotal state” and to increase official development assistance (ODA) to developing nations. He highlighted South Korea’s journey from fighting poverty to achieving economic development, attributing it to international support. Banga commended South Korea’s ODA policy, citing it as an exemplary transition from a low-income aid recipient to a high-income donor within a single generation.
Additionally, Banga emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation between the World Bank and South Korea in the field of digital technology. He expressed anticipation for South Korea’s role in establishing global digital standards and serving as a mediator between different countries’ digital standards.