 |
A health worker gives a COVID-19 vaccine shot to a citizen at a local hospital in Seoul. (Yonhap) |
South Korean conglomerates that operate large manufacturing facilities will start vaccinating their workers in line with the government’s efforts to boost the nationwide COVID-19 inoculation drive.
Samsung Electronics will start the administration of Moderna‘s COVID-19 vaccine to its workers at its in-house clinics from July 27, according to industry sources Sunday.
The firm notified its employees of the plan Friday, asking employees aged 18 to 59 at its plants and research facilities in Korea, including Gumi, Gwangju, Giheung, Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek to prepare for the jabs. Workers dispatched from partner companies are also eligible, the company said.
Other Samsung companies have similar plans, including Samsung Display, Samsung SDI and Samsung Electro-Mechanics.
SK hynix and LG Display have also decided to start vaccinating employees at their manufacturing facilities, starting on July 27.
Like Samsung, SK hynix would offer the jabs to employees aged 18-59 working at its Icheon and Cheongju plants. Workers from partner firms dispatched to the plants are also eligible for the program.
At LG Display, workers of the same age group at its Paju and Gumi plants will get vaccinated.
Hyundai Motor Group also plans to vaccinate workers at its car manufacturing facilities -- Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan, Asan and Jeonju plants and Kia Motors’ Gwangmyeong, Gwangju and Hwaseong plants. Workers at Hyundai-Kia Motors Namyang R&D Center are expected to be part of the group’s vaccination program.
South Korea’s largest steelmaker Posco said the company was working on its vaccination program.
The big firms’ in-house vaccination programs are supported by the government.
South Korea’s health authorities earlier said they would allow companies to vaccinate their workers through in-house medical facilities around August to boost the nationwide inoculation drive and to help the companies return to their normal operations as early as possible.
Korea‘s health authorities have been surveying major companies on actual demand to better estimate vaccine supplies. The health authorities added that the government will announced which COVID-19 vaccines it will supply in the future.
By Shim Woo-hyun (
ws@heraldcorp.com)
