The government launched a task force on Thursday to turn Korea into a global Covid-19 vaccine hub and end the fight against the pandemic.

Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-cheol will lead the task force comprising officials from 10 related agencies, including the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy.

Later in the day, the ad hoc team held its inaugural meeting to review the government’s vaccination project and its future action programs as a follow-up to the Korea-I.S. agreement during President Moon Jae-in's visit to Washington last month. The discussion focused on how to expand the nation's vaccine production capacity.

Officials also discussed ways to support establishing a cooperative system among drugmakers to share research facilities and workforces and form a consortium.

The Korea-U.S. vaccine partnership, agreed between Presidents Moon and Biden, calls for the U.S. to provide technology and raw materials and Korea to mass-produce vaccines, accelerating Covid-19 supply to each other and the rest of the world.

The government plans to form a group of experts with the U.S. to discuss detailed plans about technology transfer and raw material supply.

The task force will check the preparations and negotiation for vaccine and raw material development, production, and supply while preparing regulatory and financial support measures.

In the same vein, the Korea Health Industry Development Institute has also formed a task force to support private companies.

"The global vaccine partnership between Korea and the U.S. will proceed quickly and strongly through all-out support and cooperation," Minister Kwon said in the meeting. "We will prepare a strategy to become a global vaccine powerhouse."