North Korea Concedes COVID-19 Vaccines... "Likely Due to Concerns Over Side Effects and Efficacy"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seung-jin] There is speculation that North Korea's willingness to cede COVID-19 vaccines to other countries may be due to concerns about the vaccine's efficacy and side effects.

On the 4th, according to the Hong Kong media South China Morning Post (SCMP), Nagi Shafique, a former WHO North Korea program officer, analyzed, "North Korea may be hesitating to vaccinate due to reports of rare complications and concerns about effectiveness."

He added, "North Korea is likely worried about the potential side effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine and may also be concerned that the Sinovac vaccine is not sufficiently effective."

According to foreign media, the vaccine North Korea has ceded this time is known to be the Chinese-made Sinovac. Additionally, according to Voice of America (VOA), North Korea has indicated that it is willing to reallocate 2.97 million doses of vaccines assigned through the international vaccine-sharing project COVAX to other countries severely affected by COVID-19.

Earlier, COVAX had allocated 1.902 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to North Korea in March, but these have not yet been supplied.

While North Korean authorities continue to claim there are no COVID-19 patients, on the 2nd, North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un emphasized strengthening quarantine measures at the 3rd Enlarged Political Bureau Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party, instructing to "further complete our own style of quarantine system."

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