Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo said on Sunday that the government has secured enough COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate more than 60 percent of the country's population with the related consultation under way with global pharmaceutical firms. 

Appearing on a KBS program, the minister said the government previously promised to secure vaccines for about 30 million people, or 60 percent of the country's population, and it is holding negotiations for a larger number with pharmaceutical firms.

The government is reportedly working on details of the contract terms to secure the safety of vaccines in the process of distribution and supply, as some, such as the one jointly developed by Pfizer and BioNtech, require ultra-cold temperature freezers during distribution. 

The minister reaffirmed the government's position to secure as many vaccines as possible, as well as verifying their safety and using prudence in the process.  

Meanwhile, the government is likely to suspend the distribution of discount coupons, under the judgment that it's undesirable to promote consumption when it decided to raise social distancing rules to Level Two for the greater Seoul area.