Issue Blackhole New Coronavirus... 청, Struggling to 'Control Anxiety'

President Moon's Message on Concentrating National Capabilities at Blue House Situation Briefing on the 3rd... Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun Faces Attention for Managing 'Government Discord' and 'Control Tower' Controversy

[Asia Economy reporters Ryu Jeong-min and Lee Kwang-ho] President Moon Jae-in plans to deliver a message on the afternoon of the 3rd at the Blue House senior secretaries and aides meeting, emphasizing that it is a time to concentrate national capabilities in response to the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia).

The reason the Blue House has focused national governance on responding to the novel coronavirus is to quell controversies surrounding the so-called 'control tower' and to alleviate public anxiety. The spread of infectious diseases inevitably triggers public fear, and confusion in government response can act as a catalyst that intensifies such anxiety.

The response to the novel coronavirus is being conducted with the Blue House overseeing the overall situation, the Prime Minister's Office responsible for managing the cabinet and related matters, and the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leading practical response efforts. However, as the novel coronavirus issue has already become an issue black hole absorbing all political, economic, and social issues, public anxiety has not subsided.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Ultimately, the response to the novel coronavirus is expected to be a key variable influencing national momentum in the first half of the year. Concerns about community transmission are spreading as confirmed cases increase and secondary infections are identified. The government's ban on entry of foreigners who have visited or stayed in Hubei Province, China, within the past 14 days, and the temporary suspension of the 'visa-free entry' system for visitors to Jeju Island reflect the seriousness of the situation.

The meeting of quarantine experts convened by President Moon at the Blue House on the afternoon of the 2nd is also related to this awareness. Experts urged administrative communication and the provision of professional information based on network activation, pointing out confusion surrounding the control tower. Long-term tasks such as the development of treatments and vaccines were also discussed at this meeting.

President Moon said, "Above all, we must prioritize the safety of the people and respond to this situation accordingly." He instructed that metropolitan and provincial governors be involved in the Cabinet meeting to strengthen cooperation and coordination with the central government. Messages from President Moon regarding the novel coronavirus are expected to be delivered consecutively at the morning briefing on the 3rd and the Cabinet meeting on the 4th. This signals that President Moon intends to take a front-line role in managing the issue.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is giving an opening remark at the meeting on expanding the response to the novel coronavirus infection held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 2nd. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

This trend is a key point to watch in connection with Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun's role. It is also related to criticism that the Prime Minister, who oversees the cabinet, has not been visible during the spread of the novel coronavirus controversy.

There were mismatches between ministries during the evacuation of Korean residents from Wuhan, China, and the Prime Minister's Office was said to have failed to demonstrate coordination ability when changing the quarantine facilities for evacuees from Cheonan, Chungnam Province, to Asan and Jincheon. Questions were also raised about the response capability of the responsible department as the timing of the Prime Minister's Office personnel changes coincided with the outbreak of the infectious disease.

The Prime Minister's Public Relations Office was criticized on the 2nd for showing inconsistent behavior regarding Prime Minister Chung's 'Expanded Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting for novel coronavirus response.' Prime Minister Chung, who took office on the 14th of last month, is faced with the challenge of managing the novel coronavirus crisis less than a month into his tenure.

Although Prime Minister Chung is a person with abundant political and administrative experience, managing a national crisis is a different matter. A ruling party official said, "Since the response system is led by the Minister of Health and Welfare, and the Prime Minister has stated that he will personally take charge of the response, it is necessary to observe whether a one voice approach will be maintained."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.