S.Korea says it will spare no effort to help North Korea amid COVID outbreak

FILE PHOTO: South Korea's new President Yoon Suk-yeol signs a document as he works at the new Presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, May 10, 2022. Yonhap via REUTERS/File Photo

South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Monday the country will spare no effort to help North Korea, as the isolated nation battles a COVID-19 outbreak, and reiterated he will remain open for humanitarian aid.

"If North Korea responds (to our support), we will spare no medicines including COVID-19 vaccines, medical equipment and health personnel," said Yoon in a speech at the plenary session of the National Assembly.

Separately in the speech, Yoon also said he will discuss with U.S. President Joe Biden ways to strengthen cooperation on the global supply chain through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Biden is scheduled to visit the country this week.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wears a face mask amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, while inspecting a pharmacy in Pyongyang, in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 15, 2022. KCNA via REUTERS

(Reporting by Joori Roh; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)