Yoon's US delegation discusses with Pfizer early supply of Paxlovid

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

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Sun, December 3, 2023 | 20:35

Foreign Affairs

Yoon's US delegation discusses with Pfizer early supply of Paxlovid

Posted : 2022-04-14 15:26

Updated : 2022-04-15 15:57

By Kang Seung-woo

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's U.S. delegation recently discussed with Pfizer ways to cooperate to receive an early supply of the American drug giant's COVID-19 antiviral pill in Korea, according to his spokesperson, Thursday.

Bae Hyun-jin, the spokesperson for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, holds a press conference at the office of the presidential transition committee in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

The ROK-U.S. Policy Consultation Delegation, led by foreign minister nominee Rep. Park Jin, made an eight-day trip to Washington, D.C. on April 3, where it met with senior U.S. government officials as part of Yoon's efforts to build up the bilateral alliance.

"While the delegates were in the United States, President-elect Yoon gave them the special instruction to visit Pfizer's headquarters in New York," Yoon's spokesperson, Bae Hyun-jin, said during a press briefing.

"There, the delegation had discussions with Pfizer to work closely with the Korean government for an early supply of Paxlovid," she said.

In response, Pfizer said it will do its utmost in cooperation with the Yoon administration so as to meet its supply request, Bae added.

"The incoming government is set to continue to work hard through follow-up consultations with Pfizer to ensure a smooth supply of the treatment," she said.

Doses for 624,000 people for the oral COVID-19 pill have been shipped to Korea so far.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson denied a report by a Japanese media outlet that the new Korean government was seeking to attend a Quad meeting as an observer.

"The report is not true and the attendance was not discussed with us," Bae said.

According to Nikkei, the Yoon side has unofficially approached the Quad about attending the group's upcoming summit in Japan. The Quad, which is a network comprised of Australia, India, Japan and the U.S., is scheduled to hold a summit in Tokyo next month, and will include U.S. President Joe Biden.

The Quad stands for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a group of likeminded countries committed to the principles of democracy, a rules-based order and a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. It is seen by some as a means to contain China.

During the campaign election, Yoon expressed his interest in the network and the delegation delivered the new South Korean government's determination to cooperate on the Quad in its meeting with Kurt Campbell, the White House policy coordinator for Asia, last week.

ksw@koreatimes.co.kr

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