The government is considering donating COVID-19 vaccines to countries with a high population of South Korean residents.

Jeong Eun-kyeong, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) commissioner, added the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is considering the plan of sending remaining doses to states home to overseas Koreans. 

During a parliamentary budget committee meeting on Monday, Jeong was asked about the planned use of leftover vaccines by ruling Democratic Party lawmaker Shin Hyun-young, who said doses sufficient for 950-thousand people were discarded mostly due to their expiry.

Shin added that AstraZeneca vaccines for 730-thousand people and 40-thousand Janssen doses must also be consumed by the year-end.

In response, the KDCA chief said that second jabs of the AstraZeneca vaccine have nearly been completed, while mix-and-match shots will utilize mRNA vaccines.

As for Janssen, Jeong said very little remains and new batches that arrive can be stored for two years. She said the expiration date will be considered as stockpiles are mostly kept at home, with the excess to be donated.

Jeong said that authorities predict full vaccination for 80 percent of the population will be achieved by around mid-December.

She also expected the final rate to be below 85 percent of the population, which is equivalent to 93 percent of those 12 and older.