Will the Mask Shortage Ease... Government Orders More Than Half of Stock to Be Released Through Post Offices and Others

MFDS to Implement Emergency Mask Supply Adjustment Measures on the 26th
Mask Manufacturers Required to Ship Over 50% to Public Sales Channels Including Korea Post and Hanaro Mart

On the 25th, a sold-out notice for masks was posted at the hygiene products sales counter in a large supermarket in downtown Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] From now on, mask manufacturers must ship more than half of their daily production to public sales channels. Exports will also be restricted.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced on the 25th that it will implement the "Emergency Supply Adjustment Measures for Masks and Hand Sanitizers" starting at midnight on the 26th. This is a countermeasure against the worsening mask shortage as COVID-19 spreads throughout local communities. This measure is based on the Price Stabilization Act, which allows adjustment actions on supply or shipment when supply control functions are paralyzed and adjustment is necessary.

According to the measure, mask manufacturers must ship at least 50% of their production volume to public distribution channels such as Korea Post or public channels like the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation and Hanaro Mart. Public Home Shopping, the Small and Medium Business Distribution Center, and other sales channels designated by the MFDS Commissioner are also acceptable. Sellers are generally prohibited from exporting. Manufacturers can only export up to 10% of their daily production.

However, if mask manufacturers need to change export volumes due to business reasons or other unavoidable circumstances, they must consult with the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy and obtain prior approval from the MFDS Commissioner. If it is difficult to ship to public sales channels, prior approval from the MFDS Commissioner is required to change shipment volume or timing.

Lee Eui-kyung, Commissioner of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, is giving a briefing on the emergency supply adjustment measures for masks at the Government Complex Sejong on the 25th.

Production and sales reporting for surgical masks will also be mandatory. Previously, the government applied production and sales reporting systems to health masks and hand sanitizers, which are currently ongoing. This expands the reporting requirement to all mask products. This measure responds to concerns that increased demand from medical institutions could cause difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. Mask manufacturers must report daily production volume, domestic shipment volume, exports, and inventory by 12 PM the following day. Sellers must report price, quantity, and sales channels by 12 PM the next day if they sell more than 10,000 masks to the same sales channel on the same day.

This measure will be applied immediately from the 26th and will be temporarily in effect until April 30. MFDS Commissioner Lee Eui-kyung stated in a briefing, "We plan to enforce strict law enforcement through intensive crackdowns on violations of the revised emergency supply adjustment measures, manipulation of transaction volumes, intentional omission of reports, and illegal activities. We will also take measures to make mask purchases more convenient and concentrate efforts to resolve the mask crisis and eliminate long queues."