'I'll give quarantine supplies, give me vaccines'... Concrete vaccine swap with Romania taking shape

Possibility of Vaccine-Quarantine Supplies Exchange Increasing, Not Vaccine Swap

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] As the government has acknowledged negotiations for a 'vaccine swap' in which Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are supplied from Romania in exchange for providing equivalent goods, it is becoming increasingly likely that the swap will take the form of supplying necessary quarantine supplies to Romania rather than a direct vaccine exchange.

Kang Do-tae, Vice Minister of Health and Welfare (Chief Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters), stated at the regular COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters briefing on the 22nd, "Currently, our government and Romania are conducting discussions on vaccine swaps, including mutual provision of vaccines and medical devices, as part of cooperation in the quarantine sector necessary for both sides."

Vice Minister Kang also fully refuted suspicions related to the discussions reported by some media outlets. He emphasized, "The reports that the Romanian government is donating Moderna vaccines are not true," adding, "The vaccines have an expiration date beyond November and are not doses nearing disposal."

The previous day, local Romanian media reported that the Romanian government had confirmed a donation of 450,000 doses of Moderna vaccines to Korea. These vaccines were said to be nearing expiration due to the slow pace of summer vaccinations in Romania. In response to these reports, while acknowledging discussions related to vaccine supply, the government reaffirmed that it is not a donation but an exchange of necessary goods between both parties, and that the vaccines have more than two months remaining before expiration.

If the vaccine swap with Romania is finalized, it will be the second such swap related to COVID-19 vaccines. Previously, our government had received 782,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines from Israel last month through a vaccine swap. That quantity is scheduled to be returned between September and November.

However, the swap with Romania is likely not to be a direct exchange of vaccines by timing. Instead, it is expected to be conducted by supplying quarantine supplies necessary for COVID-19 to Romania in exchange for urgently needed vaccines for Korea.

Son Young-rae, Head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Accident Response Headquarters, said on the day, "It is a more urgent matter for us to receive vaccines, while for Romania, it is more important to sufficiently secure quarantine supplies and equipment," adding, "We have found ways to meet each other's domestic needs and strengthen COVID-19 response together." Vice Minister Kang also mentioned, "We are currently in discussions with Romania regarding the swap," and said, "We will provide immediate information once the specific details, such as the medical equipment or devices involved, are finalized."

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