<Anchor> The
US modena vaccine, which was known to be supplied to Korea in the first half of this year, was introduced only in the second half of this year. The Korean government is pushing ahead with the so-called'vaccine swap' in the US to receive first-hand support for the American vaccine.
This is reporter Kim Hye-young.
<Reporter>
Prime Minister Hong Nam-ki said that the introduction of Modena vaccine, a US pharmaceutical company, in the first half of this year has become virtually difficult.
[Hong Nam-ki/Prime Minister's Acting: (out of 20 million vaccines), there is a situation where a lot of supplies cannot come in in the first half of the year. I am telling you
that this is supposed to come in in the second
half of the
year
.]
In December of last year, President Moon Jae-in decided to bring in 20 million vaccines from the second quarter of this year through a phone call with Moder or the chief executive officer.
As the government is in a hurry, a breakthrough is in need, and Foreign Minister Eui-yong Eui-Yong has unveiled plans for a'vaccine swap' with the US.
[Eui-Yong Jung/Minister of Foreign Affairs: We are discussing very seriously with the US side, and we discussed this issue intensively when the last time (US) Special Envoy Kerry arrived.] The
Korea-US vaccine swap first received support from the United States with adequate vaccine support. That's how we pay back the same vaccine later.
The government is also considering reimbursement for other vaccines or exchange for other medical supplies such as oxygen respirators and syringes.
However, the response of the United States is that it is difficult at the moment and can be reviewed first after the summer of this year, when the target for formation of collective immunity is over.
The government is considering dispatching a special envoy saying that it will deliver results before the Korea-US summit scheduled for the end of next month.