Prime Minister Jeong: "COVID-19 Vaccine Necessary for the People and Humanity"

Visit to Andong Bio Complex on the 30th
"Supporting Corporate Efforts and Collaborating Until Vaccine Development Success"

Visiting the lab and touring the facilities. The second person from the right is Prime Minister Jeong. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun visited the site of COVID-19 vaccine development and production on the 30th, urging, "Vaccine development and success are essential for our people and humanity, so please carry out your duties with a sense of mission."

On the afternoon of the same day, Prime Minister Chung visited the Bio General Industrial Complex in Andong-si, Gyeongbuk Province, encouraging officials and listening to their difficulties.

The schedule included Jang Yang-seok, Director of the Animal Cell Validation Support Center; Choi Chang-won, Vice Chairman of SK Discovery; Ahn Jae-yong, CEO of SK Bioscience; and Kwon Kyung-hoon, Vice Chairman of 'Curo'.

Prime Minister Chung first visited the Animal Cell Validation Support Center, which is being established to support vaccine process development and the production of non-clinical and clinical samples, received a report on the center's establishment status from Director Jang, and inspected the production facilities.

He requested a sense of mission, saying, "I expect the Animal Center to play a key role in accelerating COVID-19 vaccine development by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises that have technology but lack vaccine production facilities and by expanding cooperation with global vaccine companies."

He then visited SK Bioscience's L-HOUSE to inspect development and production facilities and expressed gratitude to the employees dedicated to vaccine development.

After hearing about the COVID-19 vaccine development status from CEO Ahn, Prime Minister Chung visited the quality laboratory and encouraged the officials.

He said, "Although South Korea has a very short history of vaccines compared to advanced countries, I am proud that we have the will and capability to develop vaccines. The government will also support the efforts of companies and stay with them until we succeed in developing vaccines on our own."

He added, "Please contribute to enhancing South Korea's competitiveness and securing vaccine sovereignty."