Yoo Seung-min: "President Moon Jae-in Should Be the First to Receive the AstraZeneca Vaccine"

President Moon Jae-in is inspecting syringes at Punglim Pharmatech, a production facility for low dead space (LDS) syringes used for COVID-19 vaccinations, in Gunsan-si, Jeonbuk, on the afternoon of the 18th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Jumi Lee] Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min has argued that "AstraZeneca's first dose should be administered starting with the president."

On the 19th, Yoo posted on Facebook under the title "AstraZeneca, the president should get vaccinated first to eliminate distrust," stating, "It would be good if the president's first vaccination could alleviate the public's accumulated distrust caused by fake news from the Blue House and the Democratic Party."

Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min is giving a greeting at a press conference held on the morning of November 18, 2020, at the 'Hope 22' office in Taeheung Building in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

He pointed out, "During the Moon Jae-in administration, which praised K-quarantine as a global model, vaccine inoculation ranked last among OECD countries," adding, "This is because of the failure to secure vaccines early."

He continued, "Most of the initially secured vaccines were AstraZeneca, which had not undergone clinical trials for the elderly, causing the vaccination order to suddenly change. Some medical staff are refusing vaccination," and argued, "This refusal to vaccinate is an expression of distrust."

Former lawmaker Yoo criticized, "This distrust is a problem caused by President Moon Jae-in and the regime's key figures themselves." Referring to President Moon's statement at the recent New Year's press conference that "If vaccine anxiety increases, I will not hesitate to be vaccinated first," he emphasized, "The time has come to keep that promise."

Yoo added, "For the second dose, the Minister of Health and Welfare, the head of the Korea Food and Drug Administration, and the director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency should lead by example," asserting, "Only then will the public trust and accept vaccination."