Anchor: The government has unveiled its COVID-19 vaccination plans for the third quarter. From next month, health authorities plan to inoculate high school seniors, school teachers and average citizens in their 50s, among others.
Park Jong-hong has this report.

Report: South Korea aims to administer at least one COVID-19 vaccine to 70 percent of the population by the end of the third quarter.

This translates to 36 million people receiving at least one vaccination by the end of September.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA) announced a vaccination roadmap on Thursday, with plans to inoculate high school seniors, school teachers and workers, and average citizens in their 50s from next month, followed by people aged 18 to 49 starting in August. 

However, starting the first week of July, priority will be given to senior citizens over 60 and other groups such as emergency and first responders under 30 who have been unable to get vaccinated. About 170-thousand people in these groups were scheduled to get shots in June, but were unable to due to a vaccine supply shortage. 

The KDCA also said that it will start allowing the combination of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines in two-shot regimens among some groups beginning next month to boost efficacy. 

Some European countries and Canada have begun allowing the combination of two mRNA vaccines interchangeably because of safety concerns over the AstraZeneca vaccine.

KDCA Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong called on the public to actively take part in the vaccination campaign so that the nation can return to normal life by achieving the goal of herd immunity by November.

As of Thursday, about 27 percent of the population, or more than 14 million people, have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. 
Park Jong-hong, KBS World Radio News.