South Korea's Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong said Seoul is in serious talks with Washington about a vaccine swap amid a global supply shortage.

At a session of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee on Tuesday, Chung said he had discussed the matter with John Kerry, the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate, when they met in Seoul during the weekend.

The minister added that Seoul and Washington's cooperation on vaccines is occurring at multiple levels through various channels.

When asked by the main opposition People Power Party(PPP) whether Seoul will participate in the U.S.-led Quad Plus, which many consider an anti-China forum, to enhance vaccine cooperation with the U.S., Chung said he didn't see a direct link between the two.

The minister added that the U.S. and the European Union(EU) have adopted a principle of "decoupling" the vaccine issue from politics and diplomacy.