By Kang Seung-woo
Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul Thursday cited the need to set up a joint response system against infectious diseases between South and North Korea as part of efforts directed toward inter-Korean healthcare cooperation.
"The coronavirus pandemic impacted not only our everyday lives but also inter-Korean relations in various ways. Novel infectious diseases and other natural disasters are unconventional security threats and how to deal with them is the unification ministry's job," Kim said in a press conference. 
Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul speaks during a press conference at the ministry in Seoul, Thursday. / Yonhap
"In that respect, the ministry is making preparations in various manners, but the most important thing from a public health perspective is to build a joint response system between the two Koreas against infectious diseases."
Kim added that such a system should be sustainable, comprehensive and cooperative.
The minister also said there are many fields on which the two countries can cooperate.
"Experts believe that health-related cross-border projects are feasible in developing new drugs and treating major diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria. In particular, the North has a variety of wild flowers and plants and if the South and the North work together to develop medicine using substances from natural products, it would be significant," Kim said.
His remarks came as the Moon Jae-in administration has repeatedly stressed the need for inter-Korean cooperation on healthcare amid the spread of COVID-19 ― although Pyongyang has claimed to be free of the coronavirus by sealing off its border and toughening quarantine criteria.
In March, President Moon once again proposed cross-border healthcare cooperation with the North, saying the lives of the Korean people would be safer when the two Koreas respond together when infectious diseases spread among humans and animals, and jointly cope with disasters and catastrophes in border areas including climate change.
However, the North has not responded to the South's repeated offers.
The minister said there would be no problem in delivering coronavirus supplies to the North without violating intentional sanctions.
"The United Nations' basic stance is that sanctions should not come as a hindrance in the process of overcoming the coronavirus crisis, which the United States also shares to some extent as far as I know," he said.
"I think there would be a lot of equipment that would need to be exempted from sanctions when actual cooperation takes place. If such actual situations arise, I would be ready to positively consult with the international community."
Earlier this year, President Moon ambitiously pushed for individual tourism by South Koreans to the North, but it has been put on the shelf in the wake of COVID-19.
Kim admitted the government needs more time before resuming its drive.
"We need to monitor how the coronavirus pandemic plays out first because tourism requires contact and we have to consider quarantine," the minister said.
