S. KOREA'S VACCINATION ROLLOUT

[Anchor Lead]
One-fifth of Korea's population is now immunized. Some two million people are to get their AZ shots this week. The Moderna vaccine is to be provided for the first time as well. Authorities are to announce the vaccination plan for next month in the coming days A growing number of people want to get inoculated as soon as possible.

[Pkg]
Immunization of people who are 60 and up with the AZ vaccine is to end this Saturday. Some 2.4 million people are awaiting vaccination, but 360,000 doses are lacking in supply. Those who had vaccine appointments but do not get inoculated within the month will be vaccinated early next month.

[Soundbite] Jung Eun-kyeong(KDCA Director) : "We have agreed with the medical sector to provide the remaining vaccine doses using low dead space syringes to people aged 60 and up."

Some 67,000 essential workers in their 20s who didn't get vaccine appointments will get their shots beginning on July 5. In addition to those who were eligible for vaccination in the first half of the year but did not get immunized, about 8.6 million people in their 50s will also be able to receive their shots starting from July. School teachers and high school seniors will be vaccinated during the summer break. Vaccination plans for Q3 are to be announced on June 17 while a growing number of people want to get inoculated as soon as possible. The Democratic Party has asked the government to prioritize kindergarten teachers. Workers at welfare facilities for children also want to get immunized as soon as possible.

[Soundbite] Ki Young-hee(Korea Council of Group Home for Children and Youth) : "We provide a family-like environment, everyone is closely linked. Even when a single child gets infected, everyone else must be quarantined as well. That's tough."

The Moderna vaccine will be administered first to health workers aged 30 and under as soon as the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approves its shipment in Korea this week. The remaining Pfizer vaccine will be administered this week for the second dose to 1.4 million seniors 75 and up and workers at senior facilities.