US exploits ally S Korea with vaccines, leaves others waiting

Frank Smith
Press TV, Seoul

Roughly one million doses of Covid-19 vaccines arrived in South Korea from the United States earlier this week. More Americans have been vaccinated than people in any other country and the US is now sharing, suggesting no strings are attached, with exceptions and flexibility.

The World Health Organization and infectious disease experts have criticized wealthy countries for hoarding vaccines- vaccine nationalism- even calling it “vaccine apartheid.” Experts say the US gift to South Korea had various motives.

The US has restricted the use of its vaccine supply for South Korea to Korean soldiers that work alongside the 28,500 US troops stationed in the country.

US efforts to contain China accelerated back in 2007 with the creation of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, involving Japan, Australia, India and the United States. South Korea has been reluctant to join the grouping, as it does not want to offend its main trading partner China, which has condemned the Quad for targeting Beijing.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in secured the vaccines during a summit with US President Joe Biden in late May as Seoul struggles to balance its alliance with the United States and growing trade with China.

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