In a first for the country, the government has donated COVID-19 vaccines to other countries, namely the AstraZeneca version to Vietnam and Thailand. (Yonhap News)

By Park Hye Ri and Lee Jihae

The government has donated COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam and Thailand.

This is the first time for Korea to directly donate vaccines to other countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Oct. 12 said it decided to donate 1.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Vietnam and 470,000 to Thailand, as both Southeast Asian countries are struggling to contain the coronavirus.

Planes carrying the vaccines left Incheon International Airport that day and arrived in Vietnam and Thailand the following day.

The decision to donate the vaccines was made in consideration of requests for such aid from countries struggling to secure vaccines, the safety of Koreans living abroad, Korea's New Southern Policy and damage caused by the coronavirus.

An estimated 156,000 Koreans and 9,000 Korean businesses are based in Vietnam, a core partner country under the policy.

President Moon Jae-in last month held a bilateral summit with Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. At the talks, President Moon pledged to donate a million vaccine doses to Vietnam this month.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on the same day thanked Korean Ambassador to Vietnam Park Noh-wan for the assistance given by the Korean government and corporations. The prime minister also suggested close bilateral cooperation to develop COVID-19 vaccines and treatment and boost the medical capabilities of both nations.

In August, Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong in Thailand, another key partner in the New Southern Policy, pledged to devise cooperative measures for vaccine development and production in talks with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

The ministry said it hopes that the donation will help everyday life in both countries return to normal soon, adding that additional vaccine aid will be considered to countries that need it while monitoring the status of domestic supply and vaccination.

hrhr@korea.kr