Government's Mask Policy in Disarray... Temporary Cabinet Meeting Adjourns Without Conclusion

On the 5th, the briefing on measures to stabilize mask supply related to the novel coronavirus infection was postponed at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. On that day, an official from the Ministry of Economy and Finance announced that the briefing was postponed to 3 PM because the measure to stabilize mask supply was not approved at the temporary Cabinet meeting. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] The government abruptly postponed the announcement of a joint inter-ministerial mask supply stabilization plan on the morning of the 5th. This was due to opposition from some ministries regarding the supply measures. On the 4th, the government also postponed the announcement of mask supply measures chaired by Kim Yong-beom, the 1st Vice Minister of Strategy and Finance. As the government wavered, public dissatisfaction grew.

The government originally planned to hold an extraordinary cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on the day to announce the mask supply stabilization measures, but it is reported that consensus was not reached. Ultimately, the extraordinary cabinet meeting held that morning was adjourned. Prime Minister Chung said at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting held at Daegu City Hall, "The government was discussing supplementary measures to stabilize mask supply at the extraordinary cabinet meeting I chaired a moment ago, but the discussion was not concluded, so it is currently in recess."

Accordingly, the government postponed the mask supply stabilization plan announcement scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at the Government Seoul Office Building to 3 p.m. A government official said, "There are many related ministries involved, so there are many matters to consult on," adding, "We are currently revising and supplementing the original government plan."

The government planned to announce measures to expand the volume of public mask supply and improve distribution methods that day. A complete ban on mask exports is also under discussion. Prime Minister Chung explained, "By restricting exports, all production volume will be distributed domestically, and by increasing public supply, we will adjust the distribution method so that citizens feel it is fair."

The government is discussing expanding the public sales ratio from the current 50% of total production to up to 80%. Public sales will be centered on pharmacies, but channels currently in use such as post offices and Nonghyup (Hanaro Mart) are expected to be maintained for the time being. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance Hong Nam-ki stated the previous day, "It is not true that public sales will be conducted only at pharmacies and not sold elsewhere." The government is also considering using the Drug Utilization Review (DUR), an information network between countries, to limit the purchase quantity per person to prevent queueing and duplicate purchases.

In his opening remarks at the extraordinary cabinet meeting that day, Prime Minister Chung emphasized, "Masks will be supplied first to medical, quarantine, and safety sites, and the remaining volume will be distributed fairly to the public," adding, "To this end, we will build a computerized system to prevent duplicate sales." He also mentioned, "Manufacturers and sellers of nonwoven fabric for mask filters will be required to report daily production and sales volumes to the government," and "If necessary, the government will adjust quantities and sales locations."

Public dissatisfaction is growing over the government's half-baked mask measures. Mr. Lee (66), living in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, said, "I went around pharmacies and post offices yesterday but barely bought one mask," raising his voice, "Are they torturing the public with false hope?" Mr. Choi (45), residing in Sejong Autonomous City, criticized, "What good is a plan if it is just empty words?" and "Production cannot meet demand; find a fundamental solution. The people are suffering."

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