Government losing trust over vaccination plans with different remarks by officials

Noh Young-min, President Moon Jae-in's chief of staff, speaks during a high-level meeting between officials from Cheong Wa Dae, the government and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, at the National Assembly, Sunday. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

Public confusion over the government's COVID-19 vaccination plans has deepened after high-level officials made subtly different comments about when vaccinations will start.

President Moon Jae-in's chief of staff, Noh Young-min, presented quite specific vaccination plans Sunday, saying that Korea will begin administering the coronavirus vaccines to medical personnel and the elderly in February next year.

He added vaccinations of the general population were expected to begin within the second half of 2021.

“Korea will also be able to achieve herd immunity among the general population in a similar time frame or faster than other countries,” Noh said during a high-level meeting of officials from Cheong Wa Dae, the government and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, held at the National Assembly.

“The government is mobilizing all possible means to advance this time frame and is also making progress.”

However, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, who was also present at the meeting and has been spearheading the work to secure COVID-19 vaccines, stuck to a cautious tone, saying, “None of us can predicate the timing of vaccine delivery as it depends on the production capabilities of each pharmaceutical company.”

Chung said the government is currently carrying out additional negotiations in a bid to get earlier vaccine shipments.

The prime minister has been presiding over government meetings on COVID-19 vaccines and treatment every week since early this year, and has talked to the media about the administration's plans on the purchase of vaccines and when vaccinations will start. But he has never offered an exact month with regard to the timing.

Kim Chong-in, the interim chief of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), criticized the conflicting remarks.

“The presidential chief of staff said vaccinations will start in February, but the prime minister said nobody can be certain of that,” Kim said during a party meeting, Monday. “I don't know which statement to believe.”

PPP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young slammed Noh, saying, “A groundless optimistic view can cause a bigger problem.”

Some political watchers attributed Noh's hasty comments to his position as President Moon's chief of staff who is in charge of protecting Moon from public criticism over the government's alleged failure in its COVID-19 vaccine procurement policy, which has resulted in the country lagging behind other nations in securing sufficient vaccine.

Earlier this month, Chung also partially admitted to the government's misjudgment over vaccine procurement, saying, “In July when the government formed a procurement taskforce, Korea had around 100 daily new infections and thus we did not think of increasing our dependency on vaccines.” But Cheong Wa Dae said the President first gave instructions on vaccine procurement and development in April.