The government said Wednesday it does not foresee any major problems in the supply of COVID-19 vaccines South Korea has purchased from the pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca.

Health Ministry official Son Young-rae told a briefing on Wednesday that AstraZeneca plans to circulate their vaccines produced in South Korea domestically first in fulfillment of orders already placed by the country.

The comments come as overseas media reported that vaccine supply could be held up due to a manufacturing error.

The official said Seoul has not received any information from the Cambridge-based drugmaker, and that the reported setback apparently involves AstraZeneca's factories in other countries.

Son added he believes there will be no issues in securing the first batch of vaccines.

The government on Tuesday had announced it will purchase coronavirus vaccines for 34 million South Koreans from four pharmaceutical firms, including AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson's Janssen.

The deal with AstraZeneca has already been signed.

The vaccines are to arrive in phases from February, but which drug maker's product will be available first and when vaccinations can begin are still unknown. 

The ministry official said it may be wiser to observe inoculation programs oversees for a month or two in case any issues arise before starting immunization in Korea.