President Park Geun-hye will focus all her attention this week on containing the MERS virus that has killed six South Koreans, a Cheong Wa Dae official said Monday.
Park only plans to hold an essential meeting this week by receiving the latest update on the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome that has sparked a widespread public scare.
South Korea has been on high alert against the disease since its first patient was reported on May 20. So far, 87 South Koreans have tested positive for MERS, of whom six have died.
The government said the number of people quarantined from the disease has jumped to 2,508, while 583 people were released from quarantine.
The disease has put Park’s key agenda, including labor reform, and the nomination for a new justice minister on the backburner.
Park has called on government officials and medical staff to mobilize all resources available to contain the virus and to ensure that infected patients can recover.
“All tasks of Cheong Wa Dae are now focused on MERS for the time being. It’s fair to say other issues have come to a standstill,” the official said.
The presidential office showed no indication of rescheduling Park’s visit to the United States later this weekend.
“There is nothing to announce” regarding any possible change in Park’s visit to the U.S., presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters.
Park is set to leave for Washington on Sunday for talks with U.S. President Barack Obama.
The two leaders are scheduled to hold summit talks on June 16 to exchange views on a broad range of security, economic and global issues, including the South Korea-U.S. alliance. (Yonhap)
