Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun believes there is no reason to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the nationwide vaccination program. 

Chung reaffirmed the stance on Friday in an emergency directive sent to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA) and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. 

His comment came amid anxieties over reports abroad of death due to blood clots after AstraZeneca vaccination and one report of blood clots being found in a patient in South Korea who had received the vaccine. 
 
Chung cited the World Health Organization(WHO) and the European Medicines Agency(EMA), saying both have issued statements following an expert review to the point that there is no correlation between the AstraZeneca vaccine and the blood clots. 

However, he stressed the need to address the public’s concerns. He ordered the KDCA to produce a clear stance after reviewing the assessments by the WHO and EMA as well as thorough reviews with domestic experts on adverse reactions. 

He also instructed the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to carry out an assessment on the possibility that the AstraZeneca shot leads to blood clots and to transparently reveal its findings.