Health authorities are expected to designate 32 to 36 million South Koreans in priority groups who will first get vaccinated for COVID-19. 

The government intends to finalize an inoculation plan by this month as vaccines are set to arrive beginning next month.

Announcing details in a Monday briefing, Jeong Eun-kyeong, head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA), said the lists are currently being compiled.

The nine recommended priority groups unveiled Monday include medical workers, employees and residents at care facilities, seniors 65 and older and patients with chronic illnesses. Also on the list are seniors 50 and older and inmates at correctional facilities, as well as first responders, police, fire officials and soldiers.

South Korea has secured vaccines for 56 million people from individual firms and the COVAX Facility global alliance program, which Jeong said is sufficient for the entire population. 

The Food and Drug Safety Ministry is currently reviewing the AstraZeneca vaccine for authorization.