The Repeated Call for North Korea Vaccine Support: What Are Your Thoughts?

Minister of Unification Lee In-young: "Will Share Vaccines with North Korea Once Distributed"
"Priority Is Wrong," "We Don't Have Vaccines Either," Some Criticism

Minister of Unification Lee In-young attended the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly on the 26th of last month and responded to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-eun] Recently, as Minister of Unification Lee In-young and other members of our government once again expressed their intention to provide COVID-19 vaccines to North Korea, public opinion has become divided on the matter.

On the 22nd, Minister Lee met with young people in their 20s and 30s during an online talk concert hosted by the Ministry of Unification, emphasizing his desire to share vaccines and treatments with North Korea once more are developed and distributed.

Minister Lee stated, "If COVID-19 treatments and vaccines are developed and distributed more widely someday, I hope we can share and cooperate with North Korea to jointly end the COVID-19 situation on the Korean Peninsula. The whole world is experiencing an unprecedented crisis and anxiety amid the spread of the coronavirus," adding, "It is important for the South and North to put their heads together for the health and survival of the 80 million Korean people."

Meanwhile, on the 23rd, the day after Minister Lee's talk concert, a North Korean external propaganda media outlet mentioned South Korea's 'COVID-19 quarantine crisis.'

The media explained, "In South Korea, the third wave of the new coronavirus infection is rapidly spreading, raising fears, concerns, and anxieties that the situation could spiral out of control," and added, "There are criticisms that quarantine measures have become lax, pushed aside by the slogan of economic revitalization."

Previously, Minister Lee had expressed his willingness to support North Korea with vaccines on several occasions.

In an interview with KBS on the 18th of last month, he said, "If we can cooperate on treatments and vaccines, North Korea might be able to create an opportunity to escape some of the economic sacrifices caused by its COVID-19 quarantine system," and mentioned, "Sharing when we have less, rather than when we have more, is the true form of sharing."

On the 10th, a researcher at Enzychem Lifesciences Central Research Institute in Jecheon, Chungbuk, is focused on researching treatments for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Subsequently, Minister Lee's intention to provide vaccines to North Korea sparked controversy in political circles and public opinion, often referred to as 'excessive generosity.'

On the 20th of last month, Kim Geun-sik, the People Power Party's Songpa-byeong district committee chairman in Seoul, criticized on his Facebook, "In a situation where vaccines have not even been secured yet, the idea of sharing what little we have with the North is closer to the stance of a leading civic group representative or a sacrificial and loving clergyman rather than a government minister," and added, "If you want to show love to the North at all costs, then resign as minister and do it."

Additionally, Jang Jin-young, the same party's Dongjak-gap district committee chairman, pointed out on Facebook, "Even if the Minister of Unification thinks about North Korea day and night, who thinks about our people?"

On the 19th of last month, the day after Minister Lee's interview was released, North Korea's official newspaper Rodong Sinmun expressed its refusal to accept external cooperation related to COVID-19 quarantine, stating, "Would we kill our children by looking beyond the border for supplies that we can live without?"

In response, netizens and public opinion have shown critical reactions such as "Planning to share before even making the rice cakes," and "There are no vaccines to share yet."

A 29-year-old office worker, Mr. A, said, "I understand the intention to share, but since our country has not secured enough vaccine supplies yet, priorities should be set," and added, "No matter that it is the Ministry of Unification, I cannot understand the idea of supporting vaccines to the North when the lives of South Korean citizens have come to a complete halt due to the serious situation."

Regarding the issue of vaccine support to North Korea, a Ministry of Unification official stated on the 8th, "There is a certain consensus within the government that cooperation is necessary in the context of extending health cooperation to guarantee the life and safety of not only North Korea but also our citizens."

Although specific consultation procedures with health authorities have not yet been conducted, the official said, "Infectious diseases like COVID-19 are issues without borders, so joint response between South and North is absolutely necessary," and added, "We will discuss and review various measures," indicating that further consultations and reviews on vaccine support are expected.

Meanwhile, regarding COVID-19 support to North Korea, Minister Lee said in a KBS interview on the 18th of last month, "Securing vaccines for our own use is more urgent, but there seems to be capacity for treatments and diagnostic kits." Regarding North Korea's stance on this proposal, he said, "There is no direct response at the moment," and added, "The possibility will open up after the 8th Party Congress in January next year."