PSPD in English Socio-Economic 2021-05-20   1555

An open letter to President Joe Biden and President Moon Jae-in

An open letter to President Joe Biden and President Moon Jae-in

           
Your Excellencies,

COVID-19 is causing more than 100,000 casualties everyday around the world. Although the vaccines to prevent this infectious disease that has threatened the world has been invented, it is not clear that people in developing countries can be vaccinated by next year. This is because of the pharmaceutical companies that do not share the technology for profit, and wealthy countries which monopoly the vaccines and restrict its exportation. While some countries have vaccines left and provide them even to tourists who visit their cities, in some countries, even a single person has not been vaccinated because they have not been able to secure the vaccines. It is a moral catastrophe for humanity, people are dying from the infectious disease because vaccines are not supplied in time.

Unless everyone is safe, no one is safe. This is the reason why everyone has to combat  COVID-19 pandemic together. If vaccine production is absolutely inadequate, there should be no hesitation on the choice to increase the production. When the companies that have succeeded in developing COVID-19 vaccines do not  transfer their technology, the international community should point this out in one voice, and share the vaccine technology in order to dramatically increase its production.

President Biden has declared his support for temporary waiver of the vaccine patents, since the global civil society and international community strongly criticized the vaccine monopoly policies that he had long supported. Meanwhile, President Moon Jae-in still keeps silent on the proposal for a patent waiver, although he has emphasized on the importance of international solidarity and cooperation to overcome the infectious disease from the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis.

The Republic of Korea also has to officially support a waiver of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights(TRIPS), at the upcoming ROK-U.S. summit. The United States must transfer the vaccine production technology to other countries, including the Republic of Korea, and vaccines developed with transferred technology should be used for developing countries. In addition, the Republic of Korea has to secure domestic vaccine production facilities and equipment in order to produce the vaccines sufficiently.

We urge the following to the leaders of the Republic of Korea and the U.S. who will soon hold the summit, hoping both governments actively take part in addressing the vaccine inequality.

 

  • We urge both governments to declare that the vaccines and medical supplies for COVID-19 are public goods for humanity and present a concrete action plan for its global fair use
  • We urge the government of the Republic of Korea to officially support a waiver of WTO TRIPS proposed by developing countries
  • We urge the U.S. government to lift the export restriction on COVID-19 vaccines and its raw materials.
  • We urge both governments to propose a specific action plan for vaccine production technology which was developed by the U.S. to be transferred to other countries including the Republic of Korea.
  • We urge both governments to propose compulsory measures on companies in both countries to make sure the medical technology for COVID 19 can be used freely around the world.

May 20, 2021

This open letter is endorsed by below civil society organizations and individuals in the Republic of Korea:
 

Organizations
Act Now Nurse
April revolution association
Center for Freedom of Information
Center for Health and Social Change
Free-medical Movement
Health Right Network
IPLEFT
Korean Federation medical activist groups for Health Rights (KFHR)
Korean Health & Medical Workers’ Union
People’s Health Institute
People’s Health Movement Korea
Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society
Korean Progressive Network Jinbonet
Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union (KPTU)
PEOPLE’S SOLIDARITY FOR PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY(PSPD)
People’s Solidarity for Social Progress

Individuals
Kyeong-yeon Kang, Kang bong ju, SuJin Kang, Kang A Ra(KPDS), Jiwon Kang, Kang heoy jin, Go Na Gyeong, Ko Donghwan(Korean pharmacists for democratic society), Go Anna, Ko eunhwa, Kwon Yonmi(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Kwon Osung, Kee dong seu, Sujin Ki, Kim gablyoun, KEONWOO KIM, Kim Kyong A(The Korean Pharmacists For Democratic Society), Kyunghan Kim, KIM KIEUN, Nayul Kim, Dayeon Kim(), Daum Kim, Kim Dahae, Kim Dong gyun(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Kim DongEun(ChungHan), KIM MYUNGSUB, Kim Mi Hyui, Kim Minjung(Korean Nurses association for health rights), Kim Byung Jae, Bo-Yung Kim(Yeungnam University), Kim bo cheol(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society(KPDS)), Kim bonghwa, Saerom Kim(People’s Health Institute, Korea), Sun Kim(People’s Health Institute), Kim Sun Young, Seongeun Kim, Kim Sungjin, Sumi Kim, KIM SUMIN, KIM SOO HYUN, Kim Yongwon, Kim In Hyun(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society (Ulsan district)), Kim Jay, Jae-cheon Kim, Kim Jaeheon, Kim Jungwook, JOEUN KIM(Center for Freedom of Information), Kim Jong-bo(MINBYUN – Lawyers for a Democratic Society), Jimin Gim(People’s Health Institute), Kim Jinwoo, Kim Jin-Hwan, Chanki Kim(Graduate school of public health, Seoul national university), Chang Hoon Kim, Kim Tae Hee, Hani Kim(Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), HYUNJU KIM(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Hoyeol Kim, Na sun ja(bogun.nodong.org ), Kiryong Nam, Nam Tae Woo(daegu cinematheque), Ryu Song Mun, Jiwon Ryu, Ri Hwasoo(Npclu), Daseul Moon, Mun Jong Hun(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society (Ulsan district)), Min sodam, Su jeong Min, Miran Park, Park Min Duk(bogun.nodong.org), Park Min Hye, Sung Yoon Park(KAIST STP), Park So Yeon(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society(KPDS)), Park Seunghee, park young gyu, Yong Park(Association of Korean Medicine Doctors for health rights), Jooyoung Park, Park Han-na, Hyekyung Park, Park Hye Jung, Bae Sang Su, Jung Ran Bae(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Paek Kwang Nam(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society(KPDS)), Booanri, SangHee Suh(People’s Health Institute), SEO EUNSOL(Korean Phrmacists for Democratic Society), SUK DONGHYUN, Youron Sung, Jughwan Soh(korean pharmacists for democratic society), Sohn Dong Gyun, Suin Sohn(graduate school of public health, seoul national university), Chaeyoon, Son, Miok Song(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), SONG SEON YEONG, Shin Kwonhee(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Sung jin shin, Youjung Shin(KAIST), Shin Hyangsoon, ShinHyung Keun, Sim Huijun(Association of Korea Doctors for Health rights), An kyung ok, AN KWANG YEOL(KPKYP), Dohee Ahn(Seoul National University), Joongsun Ahn(Association of Korea Doctors for health rights), Mi-kyung Yang, Yang Saerom, Yang Jin-Hwan(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society (Ulsan district)), Yang Hyounjoo(KPDS), YANG HYO JYEONG, Um kwi hyun(Korean Pharmacist for Democratic Society), Eum mee ae(Hwajeonmaeul), Nanhee Oh, RoRa Oh(Seoul National University), SungHee Oh(Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union (KPTU)), Oh SeungWoo, OH SEUNG HEE(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Oh young ran, Oh you me(Korean pharmacists for Democratic Society), JEONGA OH(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Oh Joung-hwan, Won jayoung, Yoo Kyungsuk, Yoo Khyung Hye, Yu Daehyoung(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Yoo Young Sun, You JeongTae, Hea Ryun Yu(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Yun Young Chol(korean pharmacist for democratic society), Jae Sik Eun, Li gyeong min, Yi Kyoungmin, lee kyung jin, KYOUNGHOON LEE(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Lee Go Eun, LEE KWON EUI, LEE GUE WHA(Korean pharmacists for democratic society), LEE DEOK SIN, Lee do hoon, Dong-gun Lee(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Lee Myung Hee(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Lee mi jin, Mihyeon LEE(People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy), Rhee pyengdo(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Lee Seo Young, LEE SUK JIN, Lee Young Ju(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Jaeeun Lee, Lee JungMan, Jane Lee(Seoul National University, Graduate School of Public Health), Lee Jeong hyeon, LEE JE YEON, Ju-Yeun Lee(The Department of Public Health Science, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul Nationa, LEE JUHWA, LEE Chanjin(PSPD), Taejin LEE(Seoul National University), Lee hyunseok(APH), LEE hyunhee(The Korean Pharmacists of Demacratic Society), Heyrin lee, Lim Dayeon, Lim Seonyoung(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society (Ulsan district)), So Hyung Lim(People’s Health Movement Korea), Y.S Lim(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society(Ulsan district)), Lim Ikguen, Im hee jung, Youngbae Chang(KUPRP), Eun Jee Chang, Jeon Kyungrim(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society(KPDS)), JEON SEHEE, Eunkyung CHEON, Jinhan Jeon, Jung Kyung Ee(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Jung Gue jin, Dongman, Jeong(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Jeong Seong Sik, MayChung(graduate school of public health, Seoul National University), Jung lee young, Jeong Jiyun(Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University/ Neulpeum pharmacists’ assoc, Jung Jinim, SANG GUEN CHO, Cho Yunmi, Hyunok Cho, CHO HUIHEUN(People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy), JU MI SUN(KPTU), Joo Hyun ok(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society (Ulsan district)), Byeong Soo Jin, Cha Mirae, Ji eun cha, Chae, Minseok, Mun-ho Cheon(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Gooynyun Choi, Choi Kyujin(Association of Physicians for Humanism), Bongjoo Choi, CHOI SEOG GOU, Sukyoung Choi, SHIN-AE CHOI, Choi Ickjoon(Korea Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Jinhye Choi(Neulpeum pharmacist association), Trump Choi, Ha mihyun(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), SOJEONG HA, Jiwoo Ha, Han Ki-myung, Han kiju, HAN MIYOUNG, Han Songhee(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society(KPDS)), AE RA HAN(Association of Physicians for Humanism), HAN, Jae-kak(Korea Climate Justice Forum), Heo Jinkyung(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society(Ulsan district)), Hwang jae young(Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society (Ulsan district)), Hwang Hae Peong(korean pharmacists for democratic society)
 

 

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