North Korea rejected free AstraZeneca jabs, not keen on Chinese vaccines: Report

Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS), affiliated with Seoul's spy agency, said in its report that North Korea has rejected the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine over safety concerns.

North Korea has rejected the shipments of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine and is not keen on Chinese vaccines as well, a South Korea think-tank has said. COVAX had decided to provide nearly two million doses to North Korea under its global distribution scheme, of which the Serum Institute of India is a major contributor.

North Korea has not reported a single case of coronavirus disease to date, a claim many experts are apprehensive about. (via Reuters)

South Korea said that the first batch of Covid-19 vaccines was expected in May but the delivery was delayed amid protracted consultations, according to news agency Reuters. The reclusive country has not reported a single case of coronavirus disease to date, a claim many experts are apprehensive about.

Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS), affiliated with South Korea’s spy agency, said in its report that Pyongyang has rejected the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine over safety concerns. Apart from AstraZeneca, North Korea is also not keen on Chinese vaccines due to concerns over their efficacy, the INSS report said.

North Korea has reportedly shown interest in vaccines developed by Russia, hoping that the neighbouring country would provide the shots free of charge. “It’s leaning towards the Russian vaccine, yet no arrangements have been made,” Lee Sang-keun, director of strategic research on the Korean peninsula at INSS, told Reuters.

Several European countries and the United States earlier this year halted administering the AstraZeneca vaccine after severe blood clotting events were reported in some recipients. While the US decided to not use its AstraZeneca shots, many European countries resumed vaccination following a report by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) that said the vaccine’s benefits continue to outweigh its risks.

But western countries have the option of purchasing high-cost vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioTech and Moderna. On the other hand, North Korea is hugely dependent on donations as the country is witnessing a serious economic downturn, exacerbated by sanctions imposed by the United States.

"We continue to work with DPRK authorities, as we work with all the countries we serve, to help respond to the Covid-19 pandemic," a spokesperson for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) alliance told Reuters.

(With agency inputs)