FREE VACCINES FOR CERVICAL CANCER

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Currently, vaccination for uterine cervical cancer is free only for girls younger than 12. Now the age limit for free vaccines will be raised to 17. President Moon Jae-in promised this change when he was answering the petition to broaden the free vaccination target group. The president said that the Blue House Online Petition System, marking its fourth year, is the symbol of his administration and an engine that moves society forward.

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Uterine and cervical cancer are preventable only through vaccination. But vaccination can cost as much as 600,000 won. This is why a series of online petitions have been made to the presidential office to raise the age eligible for free vaccination from 12. President Moon Jae-in promised free vaccination will be available for girls younger than 17.

[Soundbite] Moon Jae-in(President) : "Eligible groups will be broadened to allow all age groups to receive free vaccines. "

He also said starting in the fourth quarter, infertility related procedure cost will be subsidized two more times and the coinsurance rate will be lowered to 30% from 50%.
The president personally answered the petitions to mark the fourth anniversary of the Cheong Wa Dae Online Petition Bulletin Board. He answered items that needed the government’s closer attention, even those that failed to get the minimum of 200,000 supporters required for a government response. The Online Petition Bulletin Board was set up on the 100th day of the Moon administration. So far, more than a million petitions have been posted and 470 million people have visited the site. A tougher law to penalize drunk drivers was initiated with the public petition.

[Soundbite] "From the perspective of public communication, the Cheong Wa Dae Online Petition has become the symbol of our government and an engine that pushes our society forward one step at a time."

The top office explained that each government institution will have its own online petition system by the end of next year.