The US has welcomed South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s proposal for leaders of the Group of 20 countries to hold a video conference to address the escalating coronavirus outbreak, according to Cheong Wa Dae on Sunday. 

Korea’s national security adviser Chung Eui-yong spoke by phone with his US counterpart Robert O’Brien to discuss ways for the two allies to cooperate on handling COVID-19. During their conversation, Chung explained Moon’s idea for a special video conference among G-20 leaders, and asked O’Brien to relay the proposal to US President Donald Trump. 

“It’s a very good proposal,” O’Brien was quoted as saying, and he added Trump may review discussing it at next week’s video conference among the leaders of Group of Seven -- which includes US, Italy, Japan, Canada, France, Germany and UK -- according to the presidential office. 

Earlier on Friday, Moon had proposed the idea during his phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, highlighting the need for countries to cooperate at the G-20 level to combat the virus that has spread across world. 

Moon’s office said it hopes the meeting between G-20 leaders will be convened, where Seoul can share experience of its quarantine measures, clinical outcomes and related information on COVID-19, and cooperate on ways to overcome the global economic crisis. 

The next G-20 meeting, where heads of the world’s largest economies gather, is not due until November in Saudi Arabia. Earlier in February, finance chiefs and central bank governors of G-20 countries met in Saudi’s capital, where impact of COVID-19 on global economy was discussed. 

Separately, Seoul is also pushing to hold a video conference among the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three -- South Korea, China and Japan -- to discuss joint responses to COVID-19.

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)