South Korea and the United States are holding working-level discussions on administering COVID-19 vaccines to Korean troops serving as part of the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army(KATUSA).

South Korea's Defense Ministry spokesperson Boo Seung-chan said on Monday that the talks are taking place between the ministry, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA) and U.S. Forces Korea(USFK).

The spokesperson added that the USFK is soon expected to request official consultations with the ministry.

Initial supplies of the vaccines, developed by Moderna, for American troops stationed in the South, arrived in the country on Friday and are being stored at a medical facility on the USFK's Pyeongtaek base.

The USFK is reportedly considering allowing immunizations for KATUSA troops, as well as its Korean employees.

This comes as the South Korean government expects to begin vaccinations in the country in February next year at the earliest.