Seoul, Jul 13 (IANS): South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol received his fourth vaccine shot against Covid-19 on Wednesday, appealing to people to join the vaccination campaign, his spokesperson said.

The President received the vaccine at a public health center in central Seoul, hours after the government announced plans to expand eligibility for the fourth Covid-19 vaccine shot to people aged 50 years and older, as well as people aged 18 years and older who have underlying health conditions.

"I am well aware that even after being vaccinated, one can be infected in a breakthrough case, but it is the shared opinion of experts that it will greatly lower the risk of serious illness or death," Yoon said, according to spokesperson Kang In-sun.

"I appeal to the people for their wide participation."

The President also promised to do everything to secure a sufficient supply of treatment against Covid-19, according to Kang as quoted by Yonhap news agency report.

South Korea has seen a resurgence of Covid-19 in recent days driven by the fast spread of the highly contagious mutation of the Omicron strains, BA.5, which is known to be more contagious and better able to escape immunity compared with earlier versions.