President Moon Jae-in is speaking at the 'Meeting with the Five Key Figures' held at the Blue House on the morning of the 22nd. 2020.12.22 [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] The Blue House revealed that President Moon Jae-in instructed on the 30th of last month to "secure an excessive amount" of COVID-19 vaccines. This came as a response to the intensifying controversy over the 'delayed procurement' of COVID-19 vaccines. However, President Moon’s actual directive to secure vaccines through global pharmaceutical companies was made around September, and criticism remains that the response was delayed compared to other countries that had been fiercely competing in the global market for vaccines since last summer.
On the 22nd, Blue House spokesperson Kang Min-seok stated in a written briefing, "It was President Moon’s instruction during the staff meeting on November 30," adding, "On that day, the President emphasized that vaccine quantities must be secured even from the perspective of 'active administration'." It is unusual for the Blue House to publicly disclose the President’s remarks made in a private setting.
Spokesperson Kang appealed earnestly to "stop the politicization of vaccines," saying, "Because the President’s actions are being exaggerated and distorted as if he had been inactive in securing vaccines, which amplifies public distrust, we want to clarify the facts, including previously undisclosed presidential messages from some staff meetings, to show what steps President Moon has actually taken." He then conveyed President Moon’s messages related to COVID-19 vaccines since April.
According to the total of 12 messages disclosed by Spokesperson Kang, President Moon first mentioned 'vaccine procurement' in September. On September 15, during an internal staff meeting at the Blue House, the President monitored the COVID-19 vaccine situation and instructed, "Secure sufficient quantities of vaccines through COVAX (the global vaccine procurement alliance) and global pharmaceutical companies."
Subsequent messages reveal a sense of urgency. On the 24th of last month, during an internal staff meeting, President Moon said, "Concerns about vaccine safety should be based on science and medicine unless there is negligence in the delivery handling process," and urged, "Do your best to secure them." Additionally, on the 8th, he instructed Hong Nam-ki, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, to "support the additional procurement of vaccine quantities even if the financial burden increases."
Aside from these, most of President Moon’s messages focused on 'vaccine development.' On April 9, at the Korea Pasteur Institute in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, during the 'Joint Meeting on COVID-19 Therapeutics and Vaccine Development among Industry, Academia, Research, and Military,' he promised comprehensive government support, saying, "We will firmly assist in the development of therapeutics and vaccines." He also ordered the formation of the 'Government-wide Support Group for COVID-19 Vaccine Development' on April 12.
At the Cabinet meeting on April 14, he said, "We must accelerate the development of vaccines and therapeutics and use this as an opportunity to raise the level of biopharmaceuticals," and on September 8, he encouraged 'vaccine and therapeutic development' again at a Cabinet meeting.
On July 21, during an internal staff meeting, Spokesperson Kang reported that President Moon was briefed that SK Bioscience would produce vaccines on consignment from AstraZeneca and urged "sufficient supply quantities," but this appears to be a general statement based on 'vaccine contract manufacturing.'
Countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada, which have started or plan to start vaccinations within this year, are known to have signed supply contracts with major vaccine developers like Pfizer as early as July. Due to the government’s delayed response in 'vaccine procurement,' the actual vaccination schedule is expected to be around the first quarter of next year.
Spokesperson Kang explained, "Under the President’s instruction, the government has supported securing vaccine sovereignty with a budget of 218.6 billion won (including 193.6 billion won from the third supplementary budget)," and "has secured overseas vaccines for 44 million people." However, he added, "As President Moon mentioned, it is somewhat inevitable that producing countries that have provided financial and administrative support for vaccines vaccinate their own citizens first," and "We plan to do our best to advance the vaccination schedule."
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