Amid reports of deaths after receiving flu shots, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo reaffirmed the position that the government's free flu vaccination program will continue.

In a regular press briefing on Sunday, Park stressed the need to continue the program in consideration of a potential "twindemic" of COVID-19 and the seasonal flu.

As of Saturday, 48 people have died after receiving flu vaccines, with the majority of them in their 70s and 80s.

Park said a team of experts on vaccination has reviewed 26 of the 48 deaths and found that there was "very little causality" between their deaths and the flu shots.

Citing the review, the minister said that the government has decided to continue with the flu vaccination program, adding the vaccines' effectiveness in saving lives has been scientifically and historically proven.