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South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun takes questions from reporters during a regular press briefing Thursday in the Seoul Government Complex. (Yonhap News)

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun responded Thursday to concerns that the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic could affect this year’s university entrance examinations.

“The situation [with the virus’s spread] will start to improve this summer,” he predicted, adding that he was “not very concerned about the entrance examinations yet.”

In a regular press briefing Thursday, Chung said that he did not expect setbacks to the university entrance exam schedule as long as the vaccination schedule proceeds in line with the administration’s targets.

“We’re looking to complete [COVID-19] vaccinations for 70 percent of the South Korean public by late September,” he said.

Questions about the possibility of “vaccine passports” were also raised during the briefing.

At a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) that morning, Chung had reported the government’s development of systems for vaccine passports, which would allow people to use their smartphones to prove their inoculation. He also said a “verification application” would be officially launched this month.

Remarking on plans for global use of the vaccine passport and related discussions with other countries, Chung said, “We’re hoping it might be usable for things like overseas business and other travel.”

He went on to caution, “Internationally, we’re all at the beginning stages in terms of how a vaccine passport might be used. Right now, we’re at the level of examining international trends and researching how we can respond appropriately to that.” His remarks signaled that the matter would need to be discussed with other countries before vaccine passports could be used internationally.

Chung was also asked about his views on historical distortions in Japanese textbooks.

“The Japanese government’s attitude is truly dismaying. I’m deeply disappointed,” he said.

When asked whether he planned to announce his resignation as prime minister in the near future as he gears up to run in the next presidential election, he replied, “There may be an opportunity for me to speak about that when the time is right.”

“But I’m not prepared to do that yet,” he added.

By Noh Ji-won, staff reporter

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