Jung Sye-kyun "Who is responsible if there is leftover supply from Russian vaccines?" vs Lee Jae-myung "Leftover is rather safe" Another clash

Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung (above) and former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun (below).
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Amid global vaccine supply issues, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung and former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun have been clashing daily over the necessity of introducing the Russian-made COVID-19 vaccine 'Sputnik V.' Governor Lee is urging the introduction of the Sputnik V vaccine, while former Prime Minister Chung is opposing it, resulting in a tense standoff.

On the 21st, Governor Lee actively raised the need to introduce the Russian-made COVID-19 vaccine 'Sputnik V' as an alternative to vaccine shortages during a meeting with relevant departments. He stated, "The government should broaden the range of vaccine options," and added, "It is necessary to promptly protect the safety and lives of the people by opening a public verification process for vaccines, including Sputnik V."

In response, former Prime Minister Chung rebutted. In a CBS radio interview on the 23rd, he said regarding Governor Lee's call for the introduction of Sputnik V, "There is currently no need to purchase it yet." He also mentioned that 79 million doses of vaccines have already been secured, and the government is negotiating additional quantities with U.S. pharmaceutical companies, criticizing, "If we contract for more (Sputnik V vaccines) and end up with surplus doses, who will take responsibility?"

Furthermore, former Prime Minister Chung said, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare has been thoroughly verifying the contents of the Sputnik V vaccine since last year," and added, "I have been consulting with the Minister of Health and Welfare to collect information in advance to prepare for any eventuality." He then pointed out, "Governor Lee should discuss such issues at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters," emphasizing, "Vaccine procurement is primarily the responsibility of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Local governments have different roles. It could only cause confusion."

In response, on the 24th, Governor Lee posted on his Facebook, "As long as the rat is caught well, what does the color of the cat's fur matter?" He said, "If safety is verified to be at least as good as the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine currently being administered, there is no reason to exclude it just because it is Russian-made." He reiterated the call for introduction, stating, "Among the vaccines currently developed, Sputnik V costs only half as much as Pfizer or Moderna, has a higher immunity rate than AstraZeneca (AZ), and is produced domestically, making procurement easier."

On the 24th, Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, repeatedly emphasized the necessity of introducing the Russian COVID-19 vaccine 'Sputnik V' on his Facebook page.
[Photo by Facebook]

Governor Lee emphasized, "Regarding vaccines that concern the lives of the people, we must not be swayed by other countries' factional power struggles or approach the issue politically, causing public confusion and hindering quarantine efforts."

He also said, "The fight against COVID-19 is a security issue involving the lives of the people," adding, "We need second and third lines of defense behind the first line." He continued, "As the saying goes, 'Overreaction is better than delayed response.' If it is a way to protect the lives of the people, it is better and safer to have a surplus even if it means budget waste," directly countering former Prime Minister Chung's remark, "Who will take responsibility if there is surplus stock?"

Governor Lee also stated, "Gyeonggi Province has proposed to the central government to open the way for diversified vaccine introduction through rapid safety verification and to expand local governments' autonomy in vaccine administration."

Furthermore, he emphasized, "There are many things local governments can and should do, such as discovering vaccine production companies, expanding new production facilities, or providing administrative and financial support for converting existing facilities," adding, "Gyeonggi Province will work closely and in step with the central government to overcome COVID-19 as soon as possible and protect the safety of the people, while continuously seeking what can be done at the local government level."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.