THE South Korean government plans to vaccinate 13.4 million people against H1N1 flu to prevent an outbreak in the winter.

Starting in November, 7.5 million primary and secondary students as well as 660,000 soldiers will be vaccinated.

According to a statement issued on by the finance ministry on Tuesday, the government expects to spend about 74.8 billion won (S$197 million), reported Bloomberg news.

South Korea has 535 confirmed infections of the H1N1 flu virus so far, with 360 discharged from hospital.

Yonhap News reported that a school in southwestern Jeonbuk province suspend classes to halt the spread of the disease on July 2, the first school to do so in the country.