The Health Ministry has ensured the public that unsafe COVID-19 vaccines will not be administered.  

Im In-taek, a director-general at the ministry's department handling public health industry policy, gave his assurance on a local radio program on Wednesday, a day after South Korea announced it has secured doses for 44 million people from four global pharmaceutical firms and a global initiative. 

The official said vaccines that are currently available were developed using four different methods and the government came up with a “proper combination” of vaccines in case some of them fail. 

However, the official added there will be no chance of a “major failure” adding the government will continuously monitor which vaccines will prove to be better than others and reflect the assessment in its official inoculation plan. 

The vaccines have been exempt from liability claims in case of side effects. But Im said it is difficult to have drug makers take responsibility for all safety and efficacy details, since the vaccines had to be developed very fast and in the midst of extremely high demand from around the world to secure them. 

But the official ensured the public not to be too concerned about the adverse effects of the vaccines.