The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 1st that Korea's delegation will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Health Working Group (HWG), held in Guangzhou, China, from the 1st to the 3rd.
Korea was elected chair economy of the Health Working Group based on the achievement of successfully hosting last year's APEC Health Working Group meeting and ministerial meeting and securing agreement on a joint statement. The chair term runs from Jan. 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2027, and Korea has prepared this working group meeting together with China, this year's APEC host economy.
This year's Health Working Group meeting will discuss three themes under the vision of "building an Asia-Pacific health community for all toward an innovative and prosperous future": ▲ strengthening primary health care using digital technology and AI ▲ smart aging innovation across the life course ▲ strengthening health security and community resilience.
On the first day of the meeting, the chair will report the 2025 Health Working Group outcomes and the 2026 work plan. This will be followed by sharing member economies' efforts and experience on agendas including ▲ digital innovation for a patient-centered, integrated health care system ▲ strategies to respond to healthy aging and demographic changes ▲ sustainable health financing, and seeking effective solutions.
The second day will feature in-depth discussions on agendas including ▲ strengthening public health system capacity ▲ promoting mental health and psychosocial well-being ▲ promoting the health care industry.
At the policy dialogue on the final day, participants will discuss "integrated prevention and treatment strategies for brain health," under the recognition that the accelerating aging of the population is turning brain health issues into burdens on individuals' quality of life, family caregiving, and society and the economy. They also plan to visit sites in the health care field where digital technology is being used, such as smart hospitals that support AI-based diagnosis and treatment, and corporations with brain-computer interface technology.
At this year's Health Working Group meeting, Korea, as the chair economy, will lead the formulation of the "2026-2030 HWG Strategic Plan," which will serve as a core roadmap for health cooperation over the next five years. This is significant in that it provides concrete working-level cooperation based on the outcomes of the APEC Health Ministerial Meeting held in Korea last year and leads health cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Choi Junho, Director General for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "We shoulder a heavy responsibility as we take the chair at a time when the Asia-Pacific region faces structural challenges such as demographic shifts and digital transformation," and added, "Based on Korea's excellent health care system and policy experience, we will help APEC member economies build resilient health systems so that everyone can enjoy a healthy life."