Prime Minister Jeong Inspects Local Communities, Encourages "We Are Doing Our Best to Respond Well to the Novel Coronavirus"

Gyeonggi Provincial Government Situation Room Visits Screening Clinics
Private Meeting Held with Ministers from Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and Other Relevant Departments

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is greeting Choi Dae-jip, president of the Korean Medical Association, at the 'Meeting with Medical Organizations for COVID-19 Response' held on the 7th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun visited the Gyeonggi-do Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Situation Room and Gyeonggi-do Medical Center Suwon Hospital on the morning of the 8th to inspect the site and encourage officials who are working hard to prevent the community spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia).

He also held a closed-door meeting with ministers from related ministries such as the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and made preliminary coordination ahead of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting scheduled for the 9th.

First, Prime Minister Chung visited the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Situation Room) established at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office, received a report on Gyeonggi-do’s response status to the novel coronavirus from Kim Hee-gyeom, the First Deputy Governor of Gyeonggi-do, and checked measures to block community spread. This was his second visit to a novel coronavirus response site since his visit to Boramae Hospital in Seoul on the 27th of last month.

Attending the visit were Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi-do; Kim Hee-gyeom, First Deputy Governor of Gyeonggi-do; Jeong Il-yong, Director of Gyeonggi-do Medical Center; Kim Gye-jo, Director of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety; Cha Young-hwan, Second Deputy Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination; and Kang Do-tae, Director of the Planning and Coordination Office at the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Prime Minister Chung expressed his gratitude to the officials, saying, "Although our country is the closest to China and thus faces the greatest risk in responding to this novel coronavirus, we are doing our best to respond well."

He continued, "Considering the expected increase in infections from third countries outside China and domestic contact, please ensure thorough measures such as self-quarantine and livelihood support for contacts, management of screening clinics, expansion of treatment beds, personnel, and equipment, reinforcement of epidemiological investigators, and infection control in multi-use facilities."

Prime Minister Chung then visited the screening clinic at the nearby Gyeonggi-do Medical Center Suwon Hospital to check the screening procedures such as specimen collection and the preparation status of negative pressure isolation beds.

At the site, he emphasized, "Please efficiently allocate personnel and equipment in preparation for an increase in patient visits, and pay attention to the health management of the officials."

After completing the site visit, Prime Minister Chung moved to the Government Complex Sejong ahead of the expanded Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting chaired by him on the 9th, and held a closed-door meeting with ministers from related ministries including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Through a Facebook post, he conveyed, "We reviewed various aspects to bring an early end to the novel coronavirus situation."

At this expanded Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting, there is a possibility that discussions will be held on strengthening government response measures such as expanding entry restrictions on those coming from China or third countries and raising the crisis alert level to 'Severe.' In particular, attention is focused on whether a third charter flight will be deployed to evacuate overseas nationals and Chinese family members remaining in Wuhan, China, with concrete outlines expected to be drawn.

On the 7th, during a meeting with heads of health and medical organizations, Prime Minister Chung stated, "If a significant decision about the future direction is needed at the government’s mid-term review on the 9th, we are considering that as well," adding, "Considering the incubation period, this could be a very important turning point."