[ Insider Asia ] North Korea rejects almost 3 million doses of Sinovac vaccine, saying it should be given to countries that need it more
North Korea has rejected about 3 million doses of China’s Sinovac Biotech vaccine, asking for them to be sent to countries that need them more.
The isolated kingdom had also previously rejected almost 2 million AstraZeneca vaccines due to the potential of rare but severe blood clots.
The country has so far reported zero cases of COVID-19 but has imposed tough restrictions and hard border closures.
North Korea has rejected about 3 million doses of China’s Sinovac Biotech vaccine, asking for them to be sent to other countries that have been harder hit by the coronavirus, said UNICEF Tuesday, according to Voice of America (VOA).
The United Nations Children’s agency coordinated the vaccine shipment under the UN-backed COVAX program, which works to ensure poorer nations are not left behind in the COVID-19 vaccination race.
“The DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has communicated that the 2.97 million doses being offered to DPR Korea by COVAX may be relocated to severely affected countries in view of the limited global supply of COVID-19 vaccines and recurrent surge in some countries,” a UNICEF spokesperson told VOA in an email Tuesday.
The spokesperson added that “MOPH has said it will continue to communicate with the COVAX facility to receive COVID-19 vaccines in the coming months.”
The isolated kingdom is also skeptical of the efficacy of Chinese-made vaccines, the Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS) told Yonhap News. The South Korean think tank said North Korea prefers Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine but wants it to be provided free of cost.
North Korea has reported zero COVID-19 cases, but experts have expressed skepticism at the accuracy of their numbers. In June, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un blasted North Korean officials for their “chronic irresponsibility and incompetence” handling the pandemic, signaling that the virus may have reached the country.
DPA Notes: If the pandemic really is under control or not spread yet in North Korea, we think this is really a very generous and magnanimous consideration for the global community. Something to be applauded honestly.
This would also set up a very good opportunity for vaccine diplomacy for the United States to offer North Korea the top notch vaccines like the Comirnaty (Pfizer BioNtech vaccine) or Moderna vaccine or even the Johnson&Johnson vaccine for free to get further concessions from Kim Jong-Un and back to the negotiating table.
Although we do not think Joe Biden would be the US President that would be taking advantage of this opportunity. Based on our analysis, Joe Biden is unlikely to retain his presidency (especially given his advanced age and seemingly poor health/cognitive condition). Donald Trump is looking like the most likely candidate to win the next US Presidency, making a massive comeback, especially when he is currently already actively campaigning for the Republicans (and against Republicans, to primary candidates that were formerly against him – popularly known as RINOs aka Republican In Name Only).