South Korea is likely to begin its COVID-19 vaccinations with the coronavirus vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech.

An official from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA) said on Wednesday that the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines purchased through the COVAX facility, a global initiative led by the World Health Organization, were likely to arrive early next month.

The official said the initial shipment is highly likely to be Pfizer vaccines, although things may change as negotiations proceed.

The official said that the government has secured 100 freezers that can store the Pfizer vaccines at ultra low temperatures, adding that discussions are under way on where to place them. 

The government has so far secured enough doses for 56 million people from four suppliers, including doses for ten million people from COVAX.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun also said on Wednesday that the initial shipment from COVAX was set to arrive in early February and it is for about 50-thousand people.