Moon urges halt to ‘politicization’ of COVID-19 vaccine issue

President Moon Jae-in asked South Koreans on Monday not to “politicize” the COVID-19 vaccine issue, as his government is striving to assure them that the country has already secured deals for enough supply of doses and that the overall inoculation program is on track.

Doubts have grown over the government’s stated scheme to get at least 12 million people here vaccinated in the first half of this year for the sake of achieving herd immunity by November.

“If you watch (the situation) a little bit more, you will get to know whether shots will be implemented for 3 million people by the end of April and 12 million people, or more, within the first half, as planned by the government,” Moon said in front of pool reporters at the outset of a weekly meeting with his senior Cheong Wa Dae aides.

He requested that people avoid “excessively politicizing the vaccine issue at the current stage and instigating vague anxiety over the supply of vaccines and shots.”

Only around 2.2 million South Koreans have received coronavirus vaccine shots so far, accounting for 4.3 percent of the population. Many complain about the relatively low rate and keep expressing concern about the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine in use here.

Critics of the liberal Moon government argue that it was complacent about early success in controlling the coronavirus, calling it a reason the nation lags behind other major countries in the acquisition of vaccines, especially those made by Pfizer and Moderna.

On Saturday, the government announced a contract with Pfizer to purchase an additional 40 million doses, but it stopped short of making public a specific delivery schedule.

There is talk of introducing Russian products as backup.

The president stated, “With regard to other vaccines in addition to those already secured, the government is also scrutinizing international trends, effectiveness and safety.”

He cited the “reality of international politics” in spite of the need for global solidarity and cooperation on the vaccine matter. He was referring to vaccine export curbs and hoarding by some nations.

It’s time to face up to the reality and pool wisdom on the basis of “internal unity,” he emphasized.

Meanwhile, Moon is scheduled to meet with Stanley Erck, CEO of the U.S. vaccine producer Novavax, at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday.

The two plan to exchange opinions on ways to expand ties in vaccine production between South Korea and Novavax and facilitate the use of its vaccine in the nation, according to presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee.

They had talks via video links in January. Novavax has partnered with SK Bioscience, a vaccine development subsidiary of South Korea’s SK Group, for the consignment production of its vaccines.