SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won took to an online video meeting encourage SK Bioscience’s scientists working on a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, the group said Tuesday.

“All this attention directed on the vaccine development may come across as a burden, but don’t let that deter you from making your best efforts,” Chey told the researchers. In order to develop a vaccine, SK Bioscience scientists are travelling to areas with high numbers of confirmed COVID-19 patients.

SK Bioscience has been selected as the preferred partner in the disease controlling government agency’s subsidized vaccine development plan. The company has found a potential vaccine candidate, with which it has started a pre-clinical trial on animals.

In another video chat, Chey spoke with overseas offices’ representatives in China, Japan, East Asia, the US and Europe, asking after the management situations in respective areas.

“How can we innovate the way we work based on this pandemic crisis, what new business ideas can come out of it, how should we reevaluate our investment strategies?” Chey said, asking the company members to brainstorm for ideas.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)