South Korea has secured enough commitments for COVID-19 vaccines to immunize up to 44 million people, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

According to Health Minister Park Neung-hoo, the number of doses would enable some 85 percent of the population to be inoculated. The vaccines - some still in development - are to be acquired in phases starting February. While the start date for administration has yet to be determined, priority will be given to medical personnel and those in vulnerable groups.

South Korea has gained early access to vaccines from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson's Janssen sufficient for 34 million people, according to the Health Ministry. 

The remaining doses for ten million people will come from COVAX Facility, a World Health Organization mechanism designed to guarantee equitable access to vaccines. The Health Ministry has not specified the drug companies that would supply the COVAX vaccines. A Foreign Ministry official had previously said they could be sourced from AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Sanofi. 

The government previously had targeted to secure enough vaccines for 30 million people next year, including the ten million doses via COVAX.  

One-point-three trillion won is budgeted for the vaccine purchase, of which 85 billion won was paid to COVAX as an advance payment.