Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said on Friday that South Korea is in the final stage of completing a deal with U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer to secure its COVID-19 antiviral pill.

The prime minister made the remarks in a COVID-19 response meeting in Seoul. 

Kim said the government has engaged in negotiations with Pfizer on a purchase deal for a volume that will treat more than 300-thousand people, much more than the previously announced 70-thousand people. 

He said the government is in the final stage of signing the deal, adding it will disclose details to the public as soon as the contract is finalized and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approves the drug.  

The remarks came a day after the government said it is seeking to purchase enough of Pfizer's COVID-19 antiviral pill Paxlovid to treat over 162-thousand people. 

The drug and safety ministry is expected to decide on whether to grant emergency authorization of the drug next week.