Choi Moon-soon Proposes to Resident Russian Ambassador to Allow Supply of Russian Vaccines to North Korea

Governor Choi, "2024 Gangwon Youth Winter Olympics Joint Hosting by North and South, Need for Human Exchange with Buk"
Ambassador Kulik, "Russia Ready to Play a Friendly Role in Resolving All Issues on the Korean Peninsula"

On the afternoon of the 27th, Andrey Kulik, the Russian Ambassador to Korea, visited the Gangwon Provincial Office and had a meeting with Choi Moon-soon, the Governor of Gangwon Province. [Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] Attention is focused on the meeting between Choi Moon-soon, Governor of Gangwon Province, who mentioned 'vaccine diplomacy' through the introduction of Russian vaccines, and Andrey Kulik, Russian Ambassador to South Korea. On the 27th, Governor Choi clearly expressed his intention to supply Russian vaccines to North Korea as originally conveyed.

During the meeting with Ambassador Kulik, who visited the Gangwon Provincial Office that day, Governor Choi said, "We appreciate trusting Korea Corus's Chuncheon factory and entrusting the production of Russian vaccines," and proposed, "Please allow the supply of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine 'Sputnik V' to Wonsan, North Korea."

He added, "For the joint hosting of the 2024 Gangwon Youth Winter Olympics by South and North Korea, human exchanges with Wonsan, North Korea are necessary," and requested Ambassador Kulik's cooperation, saying, "Although it will not be easy due to the large order volume of the Russian vaccine with a high antibody generation rate, we ask for your cooperation."

In response, Ambassador Kulik said, "We will allow the supply of Russian vaccines produced in Korea to third countries," and indicated the possibility of cooperation by stating, "I understand that discussions are underway on the direction to register the vaccine in Korea as well."

Ambassador Kulik also added, "Russia is prepared to play a friendly role in resolving all issues on the Korean Peninsula, including joint projects among South Korea, North Korea, and Russia."

Governor Choi especially urged, "The Gangwon Bio Solution Center will provide multifaceted support so that Korea Corus can smoothly produce the 'Sputnik V' vaccine, so we ask the Russian Embassy to also support our companies."

After the meeting with Governor Choi, Ambassador Kulik inspected the Korea Corus Chuncheon factory, the first production base of Russian vaccines in Korea.

Meanwhile, Governor Choi had previously mentioned in an interview with Russia's Sputnik News in February that "Korea's vaccine diplomacy in cooperation with Russia could be a good way to improve inter-Korean relations."

At that time, Governor Choi also revealed that sending the 'Sputnik V' vaccine manufactured in Korea to North Korea could be a way to restore inter-Korean relations.

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