Countries issue joint statement calling for fair distribution of coronavirus vaccines

South Korea, the European Union and 13 other countries issued a joint statement Monday calling for "a sufficient and equitable" worldwide distribution of coronavirus vaccines.

The statement by the Friends of the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility came as part of ongoing international efforts to launch a multilateral platform aimed at securing safe and fair access and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

"The Friends of the COVAX Facility strongly support vaccine multilateralism and the goal of ensuring affordable, fair and equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for all," the joint statement released by the foreign ministry read.

The statement also called for other countries to join the initiative.

The COVAX Facility is a multilateral initiative aimed at securing vaccine availability, along with Gavi (the Vaccine Alliance) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

Fourteen countries, including South Korea, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland and Japan, and the European Union, have formed a consultative "Friends" group so as to facilitate the launch of COVAX Facility as a multilateral platform.

One of the COVAX Facility's key goals is to deliver 2 billion doses of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines by 2021.

South Korea is pushing to secure enough coronavirus vaccines to be administered to 30 million people, or 60 percent of the country's population, and plans to secure 20 percent of the vaccines through participation in the COVAX Facility. (Yonhap)