KATUSA troops to be first Koreans to get vaccinated

Officials of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) check COVID-19 vaccines of the U.S. biotech Moderna which they received at the Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. The Korean Ministry of Defense announced Wednesday that Korean troops and employees assigned to the USFK could voluntarily choose whether to get vaccinated for the COVID-19. Yonhap

By Jung Da-min

Soldiers who are part of the Korea Augmentation to the U.S Army (KATUSA) stationed here will be among the first Koreans to receive vaccination against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Korean Ministry of National Defense announced Wednesday that KATUSA and civilian employees of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) could choose whether to be vaccinated after receiving an explanation of any possible adverse reactions and the potential necessity for follow-up treatment.

The ministry also said it has asked the USFK to make a list of those who do get vaccinated to prevent any possibility of re-vaccination by the health authorities and to help manage possible adverse reactions.

“Since the ministry notified the USFK of the government's stance on the matter this morning, the vaccination of Korean members with the USFK will be conducted according to the USFK's own plans,” defense ministry spokesman Boo Seung-chan said in a briefing.

“For those who get vaccinated, they will receive treatment at U.S. military hospitals in the event of an adverse reaction and could file for damage compensation through a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services program if they can prove causality.”

Boo said he understands that the USKF is reviewing including not only KATUSAs but also Korean contractors working with the USFK, and Korean members of the 2nd Infantry Division ROK-U.S. Combined Division headquarters, the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) and the Combined Air Component Command of the CFC, for the vaccination.

The defense ministry's decision came a day after USFK medical health professionals and members of the USFK command team received COVID-19 vaccines from U.S. biotech firm Moderna.

On the previous day, the first shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines was distributed to three treatment facilities across the USFK ― the Brian D. Allgood Army Community Hospital at the U.S. Army Garrison in Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province; the 51st Medical Group at Osan Air Base in the same city; and the 8th Medical Group at Kunsan Air Base, in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province.

Last week, USFK Commander Robert Abrams announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an emergency use authorization for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and that the command would begin vaccinations for its members starting with frontline health care workers and first responders, although this would be voluntary.

Before the government's announcement to allow for the vaccination of KATUSAs, members of the country's conservative political bloc criticized the government for “procrastinating” in deciding on the approval.

Meanwhile, Cheong Wa Dae announced Tuesday that Moderna had agreed to provide 20 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the country, double the initial amount the government sought to secure from the firm, starting from the second quarter of next year, three months earlier than the administration's initial plan. The presidential office said President Moon Jae-in and Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel reached the agreement during a video conference the day before.

Presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok said the government is expected to secure COVID-19 vaccines from other foreign companies, including AstraZeneca, Janssen and Pfizer, as well as from the World Health Organization's COVAX, for 56 million people in total, if the Moderna deal is sealed. COVAX is a cooperative organization set up among governments, the private sector, health organizations, manufacturers, scientists and civic groups to promote access to COVID-19 treatments.