Executive Director's Message
Much of the RIGHT Foundation’s existence since its establishment in 2018 has coincided with the first pandemic in modern times. The Foundation was established with intent to propel Korea as a growing ally in global health R&D collaboration with the mission of contributing to improving health and health equity globally. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a fresh sense of urgency and necessity to this mission.
On one hand, the pandemic confirmed that health technologies including vaccines and diagnostics are valuable in protecting the public in times of acute health emergencies. On the other hand, the pandemic reminds us that the production of health technologies is not sufficient to ensure that these technologies benefit all. Health inequity is rooted in the inequalities in the ownership of material resources and knowledge. For technologies to serve our collective well-being, we must share resources, knowledge, and decision-making power over key parameters of health R&D, including what technologies would be useful in which contexts and how.
In pursuit of our mission of health equity, we reimagine what health R&D collaboration should look like. At a minimum, it is one that enables an exchange of knowledge about what would or would not be considered valuable technologies in particular health system contexts across countries, with a sense of humility and mutual respect. It is collaboration in the spirit of transnational solidarity and allyship for our collective well-being. It is distinct from leadership from an assumed sense of cultural or technological superiority. We believe such a model of collaboration is necessary to ensure that any technologies purported to serve global public health will have a sustainable and equitable impact, and that is the model of collaboration that the RIGHT Foundation aspires to catalyze.
Our vision is to become a platform for international collaboration to develop essential health technologies as global public goods that can benefit all. We are young and have a long way ahead towards our mission. We are grateful for all those of you who are on this journey with us.
Executive Director Hani Kim, Ph.D
The Research Investment for Global Health Technology (RIGHT) Foundation is a public-private partnership established in 2018 through collaboration between the Government of the Republic of Korea, the Gates Foundation, and Korean life science companies, based on international solidarity and cooperation.
Through the pandemic, we learned that “no one is safe until everyone is safe,” and recognized that technological innovation in the health sector is essential to overcoming infectious disease crises and preparing for the future.
The RIGHT Foundation contributes to reducing the burden of infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries by leveraging the strong research and development capabilities of Korea’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. By supporting the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, the Foundation strives to ensure that technological innovation in the health sector leads to improved global health.
The RIGHT Foundation will continue to strengthen its role in the following areas:
First, it will establish robust end-to-end collaboration pathways from research and development to delivery.
Second, it will build a sustainable R&D support system and enhance the efficiency of project selection and management to ensure that efforts lead to tangible outcomes.
Third, it will actively serve as a connector to enable Korean companies and researchers to collaborate effectively with international organizations and diverse global partners.
The Foundation will continue to do its utmost to achieve global health equity through solidarity and innovation.
We appreciate your continued interest and support.
Executive Director Minwon Lee