Government Implements Emergency Supply Adjustment Measures for 'Mask Shortage'... "Strongest Action Taken" (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Amid an unexpected shortage of masks and hand sanitizers due to the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia), the government has decided to implement emergency supply and demand adjustment measures.

Kim Kang-lip, Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, stated after the Central Response Headquarters meeting on the 6th, "We plan to enforce measures requiring manufacturers and wholesalers of masks and disinfectants to report shipments and sales to the government (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety)."

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun attended the Central Response Headquarters meeting that day and ordered the prompt establishment of strong improvement measures to ensure that public concerns about mask supply do not continue any longer.

The government requires all manufacturers to report daily their production volume, domestic shipments, and export quantities. Wholesalers must immediately report buyer information, unit price, and quantity when selling above a certain amount. Vice Minister Kim said, "Considering the current production capacity of 10 million masks per day, it is very exceptional that masks are difficult to obtain in actual consumption sites," adding, "We believe the bigger problem lies in distribution rather than production or production stages."

He continued, "Accurate reporting on production is necessary for management to identify where distribution problems occur," and "the obligation to report will also be imposed on those responsible for wholesale distribution." He added, "Emergency supply and demand adjustment measures are among the strongest tools the government can take."

The government plans to strictly prosecute any omissions, false reports, or illegal activities detected through a government-wide joint crackdown. Specifically, concealing production or purchase volumes or abnormal distribution can result in imprisonment of up to two years and fines up to 50 million KRW (under Article 25 of the Price Stabilization Act), along with possible additional fines up to 10 million KRW (under Article 29 of the Price Stabilization Act). Furthermore, the government urged the public to actively report any illegal activities related to masks to the reporting centers operated by the government and local governments.

Meanwhile, it was explained that wearing KF80 and health masks is sufficient for infection prevention in daily life. Vice Minister Kim said, "Ordinary citizens do not need to wear health masks such as KF94 or KF99," explaining, "These masks are recommended for medical personnel." He added, "Minimizing gaps to fully cover the mouth and nose is more important than the type of mask."

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