Moon advises public against excessive worries about coronavirus

“It is not a critical illness in our country, and its fatality rate is not high either,” said President Moon Jae-in of South Korea on Monday commenting on the new type of coronavirus sweeping across the globe, advising the public against excessive anxiety and fear.

“One thing is clear. We have enough capacity to control and overcome this. For now, I think we can rest assured,” said Mr. Moon during a meeting with his senior secretaries and aides present. “The number of confirmed patients might surge temporarily with the increase of people examined for the virus, but it will significantly help contain the disease spreading by allowing for more swift diagnosis and treatment.”

“The new virus is dealing an unexpected blow to the nascent recovery of our economy, causing a serious difficulty in our exports, tourism, production, and consumption. One should not be sitting on his hands until the virus will just blow over,” President Moon talked about the economic confidence heavily dented by the prolonged presence of coronavirus. “The government will mobilize all resources available for support.” He promised to provide a bespoke measure for different types of industries and businesses, while facilitating financial support for small-sized business owners.

Some say the president’s remarks are overly optimistic as the surge in the number of convicted patients is still on the rise, with an unchecked influx of infected patients from third countries. “The government’s incompetence and their botched untimely responses are on full display,” said Shim Jae-cheol, the floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, urging the president to stop currying favor with Beijing and take a bolder step to expand the scope of entrance restriction.


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