Republic of Korea donates Korean essential medicines to strengthen health cooperation with Lebanon
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Lebanon and the Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon held an official handover ceremony on 16 July at the Ministry of Public Health to mark the donation of essential medicines from the Republic of Korea in support of Lebanon's healthcare sector.
The ceremony was attended by H.E. Mr. Gyusuk Geon, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Lebanon, and H.E. Dr. Rakan Nassereddine, Minister of Public Health of Lebanon, together with local partner organizations representing the participating Korean NGOs.
In response to a request for medical assistance from the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea coordinated with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Korea NGO Council for Overseas Development Cooperation (KCOC), and Korean NGO partners to mobilize essential medicines from Korean pharmaceutical companies. The medicines were secured by three Korean NGOs participating in KOICA's Responsive Actions and Partnership Initiative for Disaster (RAPID) programme, with KOICA providing support for their transportation to Lebanon.
The donation was made possible through partnerships involving World Vision Korea, Save the Children Korea, and ChorogUsan for Children, together with Korean pharmaceutical companies including Yungjin Pharm., Daewoong Bio Inc., Hanmi Pharm. Co., Ltd., Daewon Pharmaceutical, and JW Pharmaceutical.
This initiative demonstrates the close collaboration among the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, KOICA, KCOC, Korean NGOs, and the Korean private sector in responding swiftly to Lebanon's humanitarian needs.
The handover ceremony marks another important milestone in the expanding health cooperation between the Republic of Korea and Lebanon.
Earlier this year, Lebanon designated the Republic of Korea as a Reference Country for pharmaceuticals, recognizing the quality, safety, and reliability of Korean medicines and enabling more efficient registration procedures for Korean pharmaceutical products in the Lebanese market. The designation is expected to facilitate greater access to high-quality Korean medicines while strengthening long-term cooperation between the two countries in the pharmaceutical sector.
Building on this momentum, the Embassy, together with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea (MFDS), co-hosted the Korea–Lebanon Pharmaceutical and Beauty Business Forum in June. The forum brought together government officials and companies from both countries to promote business partnerships and deepen cooperation in the pharmaceutical and beauty industries.
The medicine donation also complements the Republic of Korea's broader humanitarian assistance to Lebanon. In 2026, the Government of the Republic of Korea provided USD 2 million in humanitarian assistance, including USD 1 million through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for education and nutrition, USD 600,000 through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for shelter assistance and essential relief items, and USD 400,000 through KOICA's RAPID programme to address urgent humanitarian needs arising from the ongoing conflict.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Gyusuk Geon reaffirmed the Republic of Korea's commitment to supporting Lebanon's recovery and strengthening bilateral cooperation in the health sector.
Minister of Public Health Dr. Rakan Nassereddine expressed his appreciation for the Republic of Korea's continued support and welcomed the donation as a meaningful contribution to the Ministry's efforts to provide essential healthcare services to communities affected by the ongoing crisis.
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea reaffirms its commitment to working closely with the Government of Lebanon and international partners to support Lebanon's humanitarian response and further strengthen the longstanding partnership between the Republic of Korea and Lebanon.
