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South Korean President Moon Jae-in receives AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine at a public health center in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap News)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, 68, received AstraZeneca’s (AZ) COVID-19 vaccine at a public health center in Seoul ahead of his overseas trip to the UK to attend a Group of Seven (G7) summit in June.

First Lady Kim Jung-sook, 66, and nine Blue House officials who will accompany Moon on the trip were also vaccinated. The officials included National Security Office Director Suh Hoon, NSO 2nd Deputy Director Kim Hyung-jin, Protocol Secretary Tak Hyun-min and Blue House spokesperson Kang Min-seok.

The Blue House said Tuesday that Moon had returned to “business as usual” after receiving the vaccine. Blue House spokesperson Kang Min-Seok said, “Moon returned to the Blue House after receiving the vaccine and presided over a meeting with his senior advisors for an hour and a half.”

Moon, who arrived at the public health center in a short-sleeved shirt for vaccination, had his temperature checked and received the shot shortly afterward. According to the Blue House, Moon said there had been “no problem at all,” after receiving the shot. Moon also told a nurse, “You are good at giving shots,” while observing his wife Kim Jung-sook receiving the vaccine.

The Blue House said that Moon’s vaccination was also meant to calm growing anxieties surrounding the AZ vaccine’s safety.

Previously, Moon sent a message Monday urging the South Korean public to “accept vaccinations without any worries about safety” ahead of his own scheduled inoculation with the AZ COVID-19 vaccine.

In introductory remarks prior to a meeting of senior secretaries and aides at the Blue House the same day, Moon said, “My wife and I are receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine tomorrow so that we can attend the G7 summit in June.”

“I hope the South Korean public will accept vaccinations as soon as their turn comes up, without any worries about the vaccines’ safety,” he added.

Moon also shared concerns about COVID-19 vaccine safety becoming fodder for political attacks. During the Monday meeting, he said, “I hope the South Korean public will remain particularly on guard so that fake news that encourages vaccine fears cannot take root.”

“Most European countries have resumed their vaccinations, and our own KDCA has expanded vaccination eligibility to everyone aged 65 and older,” he noted.

“Vaccine administration is a way of protecting our own safety while also guarding the safety of society as a whole through herd immunity,” he said.

According to figures tallied by Bloomberg, supply contracts have been signed for 3 billion doses of the AZ vaccine, including 300 million doses each for the US and European Union.

A global network of publicly disclosed vaccine deals (Bloomberg screenshot)

Moon announced plans for the inoculation of over 12 million South Koreans through the first half of 2021.

“The initial rate of vaccinations has been faster than in other countries. Over 93% of the total applicants for initial vaccination have completed their [first] inoculations, and last weekend we started to see people who had also received their second dose,” he said.

Moon also commented on the souring of public opinion amid a recent scandal over real estate speculation.

“This has been a very shameful thing for the administration, but it is time for our society to join together to eradicate illegal real estate speculation,” he said.

“It will not be easy, but this is an opportunity to break the cycle of real estate corruption that has grown in the shadows of development and growth. I anticipate many difficulties, but now that the problem has emerged into the sunlight, there is no escaping it or going back,” he added.

“We need to tackle this head on and resolve it once and for all. The administration will listen to opinions from all walks of life as it develops and implements intensive measures to root out speculation,” he pledged.

By Lee Wan, staff reporter

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