The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province has formally proposed that Jeju residents be given priority in COVID-19 vaccinations in a bid to swiftly attain herd immunity on the island.

The island's governor Won Hee-ryong and Jeju Council chairperson Joa Nam-su conveyed the request during talks with Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum on Friday.

The governor said that Jeju Island is a travel destination for all South Koreans and a quarantine crisis on the island will adversely affect the whole country.

Won asked for the early distribution of vaccines for 490-thousand people which is about 70 percent of Jeju's population. The council chair also stressed the importance of providing a safe environment for tourists.

In response, the prime minister agreed that it's important to protect the safety of Jeju residents as the island is a tourist destination, but that vaccine priority for high-risk groups must be observed.