SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in said Thursday that South Korea aims to become the world's fifth-largest vaccine-producing nation in the next four years, in line with the country's bid to become a global COVID-19 vaccine production hub.
In a meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae on the government's vaccine hub strategy, Moon pledged to designate vaccine development as one of the nation's three strategic technology areas, along with that of semiconductors and batteries, and invest 2.2 trillion won (US$1.92 billion) in the next five years.
Moon also explained that a homegrown coronavirus vaccine in development was scheduled to enter phase-three clinical testing this month and expressed hope to achieve commercial use within the first half of 2022.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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