[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Members of the Health and Welfare Committee of the Liberty Korea Party issued a statement on the 23rd expressing concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus, referred to as 'Wuhan pneumonia,' and demanded that the government fully suspend its policy on individual tourism to North Korea.
The committee members stated, "President Moon mentioned individual tourism to North Korea during the New Year's press conference, but North Korea, which shares a border with China, has suspended foreign tourism and temporarily closed its borders due to Wuhan pneumonia," adding, "The government's continued promotion of tourism to North Korea constitutes a dereliction of duty to protect the lives of its citizens."
They emphasized the need to demand more assertive and proactive information sharing from the Chinese government. The members said, "During the SARS outbreak that began in China in 2002 and caused global fear, the Chinese government failed in its initial response and did not provide smooth information disclosure, resulting in 774 deaths across 37 countries," and added, "The lives of our citizens must take precedence over any diplomatic considerations."
They also stated, "The current comprehensive screening area at Incheon Airport should be actively expanded not only to direct flights from Wuhan but also to all routes across China," noting, "Cases have already been reported outside Wuhan in regions such as Beijing and Shanghai, and it is predicted that 130,000 Chinese nationals will visit Korea during this year's Lunar New Year holiday."
They urged real-time information delivery related to Wuhan pneumonia. The members said, "Considering the difficulty of accessing information through TV or newspapers, accurate information about Wuhan pneumonia should be delivered to the public in real time, similar to disaster safety text messages."
The committee members concluded, "As the main opposition party, the Liberty Korea Party will maintain vigilance and prepare for the crisis until the risk of Wuhan pneumonia is completely eliminated during and after the Lunar New Year holiday," and added, "We will strive to drastically reduce reporting procedures within the National Assembly to fully support the numerous public officials working on the front lines of quarantine efforts."
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