Seoul, Feb 21 (IANS): South Korea will begin administering Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines to medical staff on February 27, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Sunday.

The vaccines are expected to arrive in the country later this week, Yonhap news agency reported.

"On February 26, 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines will arrive in the country and the vaccines will be administered to medical staff treating coronavirus patients starting on February 27," Chung said during a meeting on the Covid-19 response held at the government complex in Seoul.

The country will begin the Covid-19 inoculation programme with AstraZeneca's vaccines on Friday, with first jabs to be administered to staff members and patients under the age of 65 at nursing hospitals and facilities.

"As the government has taken responsibility in verifying their safety and efficacy, we ask that you trust them and fully participate in receiving inoculation of the vaccines," he said.

On Sunday, the country reported 416 more Covid-19 cases, including 391 local infections, raising the total caseload to 86,992.