[Excerpt from the Meeting of the Overcoming National Crisis Committee on COVID-19]

“We will successfully go through this valley of crisis.”

□ March 16, 2020 (Mon.)

■ Lee Nak-yeon, Chairperson of the Overcoming National Crisis Committee on COVID-19

The novel coronavirus now known as COVID-19 has swept through 135 countries on the globe. The confirmed patients and death tolls reached 143,000 and 5,400, respectively, in total. The global economy is sinking in the wake of the outbreak. In Korea, beginning from Thursday last week (March 5), the daily number of patients who are discharged from hospital began to exceed that of confirmed patients. The increase in the number of confirmed cases has also eased. However, there remain risk factors including collective infection in larger cities and the possibility of importing the coronavirus into the country.  

I think two things are encouraged to be tackled as soon as possible. First, the National Assemble should deal with extra budget bills by tomorrow. I hope the Assembly does not overlook the battle fields where ordinary Koreans are struggling to fight against the outbreak. Second, the government is encouraged to remain on high alert in daily response to the outbreak. The government and the ruling DPK will continue to support businesses that have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic with special countermeasures available, helping them pass through this valley of crisis. At the same time, other risk factors, including the fluctuations of the foreign exchange and financial markets, need to be properly managed. A G20 video conference as proposed by President Moon Jae-in is encouraged to be held and international cooperation to stabilize the global financial and foreign exchange markets is expected to start in earnest.

In recent days, I meet ordinary Koreans from various fields every day. Taking such an opportunity, I have come to realize how hard this crisis has hit various walks of life in our society, how worried ordinary Koreans are about themselves, and at the same time how much they care about their neighbors in need. So, I have become confident that Korea will pass through this valley of crisis successfully. I am convinced that ordinary Koreans’ wisdom and their caring of neighbors will serve as major engines for Korea to win against this on-going battle of the coronavirus outbreak. Let’s go for it.