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South Korean President Moon Jae-in talks with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the phone at the Blue House on Apr. 7. (provided by the Blue House)

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison requested the exportation of South Korean diagnostic kits on Apr. 7, saying that his country “needs South Korea’s help to battle” the novel coronavirus pandemic.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in spoke with Morrison for 25 minutes that afternoon at the Australian prime minister’s request, Blue House spokesperson Kang Min-seok reported.

In the conversation, Morrison was quoted as saying, “I understand that South Korea has responded quite successfully to the coronavirus situation with strong leadership.”

“I thank you for presenting such an example to the world. Australia is also working to follow South Korea’s model,” he added.

Morrison went on to request assistance with the importation of South Korean diagnostic kits and medical equipment, explaining that Australia “needs South Korea’s help to battle the coronavirus.”

In response, Moon was quoted as promising, “If you provide specific information through diplomatic channels about the areas where you are requesting cooperation in terms of diagnostic kits and disease control items, we will actively consider providing assistance as our circumstances allow.”

“If disease control authorities and experts on both sides wish to share their experiences, we will actively cooperate with that,” he added.

Morrison thanked Moon and said he would “pass this on to Australia’s public health authorities.”

Moon was further quoted as saying, “As South Korea and Australia are celebrating the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year and are important trade partners to one another, I hope the essential exchange and cooperation between our two sides continues, and I look forward to your attention and support so that arrivals can be mutually allowed under certain conditions for urgent business visits and so forth.”

In response, Morrison suggested that the two sides should hold a summit teleconference within the year to discuss how to overcome the coronavirus crisis, how to cooperate with vulnerable countries, and how to develop the two sides’ trade relationship on a stable basis.

Moon also spoke by telephone the same day with Polish President Andrzej Duda. Duda was quoted as calling South Korea “the country that has responded most effectively to the coronavirus situation in the world thanks to its proactive diagnoses.” He went on to say that he was “making a special request in response to calls for purchasing diagnostic kits and other South Korean disease prevention items.”

In response, Moon was quoted as telling him, “If you provide specifics about your cooperation request through diplomatic channels, we will actively consider it.”

By Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporter

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