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South Korean President Moon Jae-in takes a close look at a low dead space syringe used for COVID-19 vaccination. (provided by the Blue House)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook will receive the AstraZeneca (AZ) COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday in a public event. They will be the country’s first adults older than 65 to receive the AZ vaccine.

“The first couple will be inoculated in preparation for participation in a G-7 summit in the UK in June,” Blue House spokesperson Kang Min-seok told reporters in a press briefing Monday.

Kang added, “The first couple wants to show their confidence in the AZ vaccine by becoming the first senior citizens to receive the vaccine amid the controversy over the safety and efficacy of the AZ vaccine.”

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced earlier that it will begin administering the AZ vaccine to those aged 65 and older in late May. Adults 65 and older were previously not included in the AZ vaccine campaign. Moon is 68 years old and Kim 66.

A senior Blue House official said, “The first day of vaccinations for those over 65 years old has been chosen as the date for the president's vaccination, as he wanted to address public fear over the vaccine,” noting that Moon could have chosen any other date.

The KDCA will be giving priority for vaccination to those going on “essential” foreign travel starting Wednesday. The Blue House explains that Moon’s vaccination could have been later as the upcoming G-7 summit will be held on June 11.

The scheduled vaccination, however, seems partially motivated by political calculations as the opposition demanded that Moon receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Also vaccinated along with Moon will be some officials who will accompany him on the upcoming trip.

“A vial of the AZ vaccine is usually used to inoculate ten people, but low dead space syringes can increase the number to 11 or 12, so eight or nine more people will be vaccinated along with the first couple,” a senior Blue House official said.

By Lee Wan, staff reporter

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