UN chief praises South Korea's simultaneous fight against virus, climate change

UNITED NATIONS, United States — UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres praised South Korea Thursday for combatting the novel coronavirus while simultaneously fighting climate change.

The country was providing a "remarkable example" of how "the two things can be put together," Guterres told journalists during a press conference.

Under a so-called Green Deal, South Korea has put together what Guterres called "very ambitious" plans for a post-coronavirus economic recovery which include a reduction of emissions and coal-fired plants.

Earlier in the day, South Korea reported no new locally transmitted coronavirus cases for the first time since the disease was detected in the country more than two months ago. 

"The Republic of Korea has been extremely successful in addressing COVID?19," Guterres said.

Eradication of the virus coupled with an environmentally friendly, socially inclusive economic recovery "is an example that should be followed everywhere" Guterres said.

According to the UN, the fact that containing the pandemic has led to reduced greenhouse gas emissions shows how drastically the climate crisis affects humanity, threatening millions of people across the globe.