By Lee Kyoung Mi and Lee Jihae
President Moon Jae-in on April 6 discussed over the phone with Peruvian President Martin Alberto Vizcarra Cornejo bilateral cooperation to fight the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
President Moon Jae-in expressed special gratitude to the Peruvian government for its active cooperation in the safe return last month of some 200 Koreans in Peru to their homeland on a chartered plane.
President Vizcarra said the world is taking Korea's case as an example, adding that Peru is now in its most difficult situation and wants to follow decisions made by Korea as more trying times may come.
He went on to say Peru will find it most effective to promptly carry out the type of massive diagnostic testing Korea has pursued from the outset, and that doing so requires Korea's technological prowess, especially its diagnostic kits.
President Moon said, "I believe what is most important now in surmounting COVID-19 is the international community's cooperation and solidarity."
"We will actively share our quarantine and treatment experiences and clinical data with the Peruvian government."
The two leaders also agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in various areas going forward, including health care, based on their cooperative response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
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