President Moon and Prime Minister Chung Weekly Meeting... "Mobilize All Available Means to Minimize Damage"

(Data provided by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] On the 10th, President Moon Jae-in and Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun held their weekly meeting at the Blue House to discuss the situation of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) and major issues.

President Moon and Prime Minister Chung shared the recognition that damages are becoming a reality, such as declining sales at department stores and duty-free shops, a decrease in inbound tourists, and the suspension of finished car production due to parts supply issues, and agreed to minimize the damage by mobilizing all available means including budget, taxation, and finance.

Prime Minister Chung reported on the national-level response measures to the novel coronavirus infection, as well as the work of the Preparatory Task Force for the establishment of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (Gong-su-cheo) launched that day, the safety of school-age children ahead of the new semester, and plans for the supply of care classrooms, according to a written briefing from the Prime Minister's Office.

First, Prime Minister Chung reported to the President on the domestic and international occurrence status related to the novel coronavirus response, the additional evacuation plan for overseas nationals in Wuhan, measures to secure local medical resources, economic impact, and support measures.

In response, President Moon said, "This novel coronavirus is a disease that the government can sufficiently manage and our society can overcome, so there is no need to be excessively anxious," adding, "However, since the infectivity is strong, the Cabinet should not let down its guard to ensure there are no gaps in quarantine."

He also urged, "The government should prepare for the worst-case scenario by transitioning from the current public healthcare-centered response to a regional public-private joint quarantine system, and proactively prepare phased measures while also striving to minimize public anxiety."

Following this, Prime Minister Chung reported on the launch status of the Preparatory Task Force for Gong-su-cheo, and President Moon said, "Please have the Prime Minister personally oversee the revision of follow-up laws and the organization structure so that Gong-su-cheo can be launched smoothly in July and immediately begin its work."

Regarding the safety of school-age children, President Moon evaluated, "The comprehensive inspection of school-age children that began in 2017 has been effective in discovering children at risk and preventing abuse."

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