Face masks sold out in every pharmacy, people stocking up on emergency food supplies, and not a soul to be seen in the usually crowded downtown streets; what seems reminiscent of a disaster film is the grim reality of the situation in South Korea at the moment. It is the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). With the rapid spread of the virus in Europe and the Middle East, the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared the outbreak a pandemic. As the number of confirmed patients and death tolls increase by the day, the world is holding its breath as it watches the pandemonium unfold.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease first detected in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, China. On January 30, the WHO declared the outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern,” and on March 11, finally declared the outbreak a pandemic. As of March 13, around 133,210 cases have been confirmed worldwide in over 40 countries with more than 4,950 deaths. The South Korean government has raised the alert level for COVID-19 to its highest, with 7,979 confirmed cases, 17,940 suspected cases and 67 deaths within the country.

However, this is not the first time a coronavirus has wreaked havoc on humanity; coronaviruses have struck the world in devastating ways twice in the past two decades – once as the deadly SARS outbreak in 2003, and the other time, as the MERS outbreak in 2015. According to the WHO, COVID-19 has a contagiousness lower than that of SARS and higher than that of MERS. It also has a fatality rate of about two percent – lower than that of SARS and MERS, which were around nine percent and 38 percent, respectively. Yet what is surprising is that, despite the comparatively lower contagiousness and fatality rate, the number of confirmed cases as well as death toll of the novel coronavirus disease have far surpassed those of SARS and MERS.

The Overburdened Chinese Medical System

Many attribute the early spread of the virus to the Chinese government’s alleged failure to handle the situation both medically and politically during the early prevention stages of the pandemic. Pre-existing faults in China’s stagnant medical system seem to have aggravated the situation, as Chinese hospitals struggle with the strain of the outbreak. According to the New York Times (NYT), China is “relying on a medical system that is overburdened even in normal times.” Indeed, medical facilities in China are hopelessly overwhelmed and unable to provide patients with even the most basic care; and the lack of medical support is even worse in smaller cities such as Wuhan.

As early as mid-January, eight hospitals in Hubei sent out a call for N95 masks, goggles, and surgical gowns. In a press conference during the same week, the Wuhan health commission admitted that the virus had put a strain on their medical system, stating that there were “long lines and a shortage of sickbeds.” The Chinese government’s lockdown policy did not help either. According to the NYT, China’s lockdown of several major cities, including Wuhan, could be a potential obstacle to getting medical supplies to hospitals. The death toll for the Chinese medical staff show just how dire the situation is. As of February 26, 1716 medical staffs in China have been infected, six of them dead.

Caixin Media, a Chinese news outlet, reported another incident that gained attention within Korean society—Chang Kai, a Chinese film director in Wuhan and three other members of his family had died from the coronavirus disease because they could not find medical care in time. In his will, the film director said, “After a few days of taking care of my parents, the coronavirus mercilessly took over me and my wife. We went begging to countless hospitals but none had enough sickbeds to take us in.”

Authoritarian Regime Backfires

The biggest part of the Chinese government’s misstep in containing the disease, in its early stages, stems from China’s political problems. The new coronavirus disease has helped shine a light on problems in the Chinese regime that have been festering for decades. With more than 60 online restrictions created by its government and implemented by local branches of government-owned internet service providers, China has had its share of censorship accusations. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the Chinese government defended its right to censorship in a document outlining the government’s attitude towards the internet.

In light of the recent coronavirus outbreak, the Chinese government has been criticized for worsening the situation by neglecting – or even trying to cover up – the spread of the disease during the first few days of it being reported. When the existence of the coronavirus was first reported by Doctor Li Wenliang in a viral screenshot of a medical school alumni group chat, he was interrogated by the police and was branded as a “rumormonger” by China’s Supreme Court, according to Cable News Network (CNN). He was even forced to write a statement acknowledging his “misdemeanor”. In addition, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on February 3 that the Chinese government issued a “censorship” order on local media covering reports about COVID-19 in China.

Many claim that such initial neglect towards the virus led to the sharp increase in the number infected patients in China during the early stages of COVID-19. “If the officials had disclosed information about the epidemic earlier... I think it would have been a lot better. There should be more openness and transparency,” said Doctor Li in an interview with the NYT. Such incidents have undoubtedly demonstrated the need for international transparency and the danger of ulterior motives regarding disease control.

South Korea Braces Itself

The Korean government began strengthening their measures for COVID-19 on January 3. They strengthened heat monitoring and medical inspections of those entering the country via Wuhan and claimed that they would subject people entering from China with symptoms of the virus to quarantine measures. The alert level for COVID-19 was raised to its third highest level on January 20, when the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Korea, and then raised to its second highest level on January 27 when the fourth confirmed case emerged. The government eventually raised the alert level to its highest on February 23; this was the first time the alert level for an infectious disease was raised to its highest level since the Influenza A (H1N1) crisis in 2009.

Currently, the management of an infectious disease is largely divided into managing the pathogen itself, the spread of the pathogen, and finally, the host, according to Professor Jang Sungin (College of Medicine, Yonsei University). “The first step South Korea is capable of taking is managing the spread of the pathogen, which is again divided into quarantine, isolation, and hygiene management. Prohibiting the entry to Korea from Wuhan is the quarantine measure our country has taken, and separating confirmed cases within the country from others who are susceptible to the disease is the isolation measure,” says Professor Jang.

On March 2, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) released its seventh edition of the COVID-19 response guidelines for local governments in order to “minimize the damage” caused by the spread of the disease. The seventh edition advised local governments to form their respective patient care team composed of medical professionals, who would classify the patients’ severity into four levels. The guideline advised a swift hospitalization for patients with severe cases, while suggesting that those with milder cases should be quarantined in temporary “daily care centers” set up at government-run facilities or other local accommodations.

As the situation grows more dire with infections taking over local communities such as Daegu, the country seems to be in need of new measures to fight the outbreak. Regarding the outbreak in local communities, Professor Jang says, “We must work on slowing down the spread of COVID-19 and focus on the efficient treatment of the patients. He added, “Since COVID-19 is highly infectious with no known cure, we must prepare for a nationwide epidemic. Protocols and effective resourcing measures must be prepared in case the situation in Daegu spreads to the entire nation.” Regarding possible prevention measures, Professor Jang suggested that a national shutdown may be effective. “However, as the disease is continuing to spread in other countries including China, there is a possibility that the pathogen re-enters the country to revive the epidemic,” he added.

Korean Government’s Response Under Criticism

Much like the case in China, the South Korean government has not been able to escape the accusation of failing to contain the spread of COVID-19 during its early stages. One of the biggest accusations claim that the Korean government worsened the epidemic by ignoring the Korean Medical Association’s suggestions regarding COVID-19. According to MSN News, the Korean Medical Association claimed that the government has “refused to accept the Korean Medical Association’s suggestions to restrict entries into the country from China” despite them warning the government more than six times.

The South Korean government was under fire, once again, by citizens and the media alike when it was revealed that, due to the lack of sickbeds in Daegu, two COVID-19 patients died while they were isolating themselves at home, awaiting treatment. Those angered by the incidents called for improved measures regarding patients in self isolation. In addition, various calls have been made for the improvement of laws regarding COVID-19, from the need for forcefully running tests for suspected patients to the need to acquire sufficient sickbeds by establishing medical facilities specialized for infectious diseases.

A Red Light in the South Korean Economy

According to the Asia Business Daily (ABD), the distribution industry in South Korea is estimated to have experienced a loss of more than 370 billion Korean Won as of February 20. This is due to the skyrocketing number of businesses unexpectedly closing due to the spread of COVID- 19. After confirmed cases of patients diagnosed with the virus were announced, places where the patients previously visited closed their doors to proceed with disinfection measures and prevent further infections.

Buildings from shopping centers to large factories carried out quarantine operations in February. For instance, the Lotte Department Store located in Myeong-dong closed its doors for three days once the first patient of COVID-19 in South Korea was discovered to have visited the store. As the store is known as one of the busiest department stores with heavy traffic, the Maeil Business Newspaper assessed that even closing for one day would result in a loss of tens of billions of Korean Won. Even when open, businesses faced difficulties due to the deterred economic activities of consumers avoiding outdoor activities. Overall, the three domestic department store giants—Lotte, Shinsegae, and Hyundai—are estimated to have experienced a sale reduction of 500 billion Korean Won during the month of February.

Various factories, including the Samsung Electronics’ Gumi plant and Hyundai Motors’ Ulsan production factory, had to undergo a cessation as well due to emerging cases of COVID-19 among employees. Amore Pacific, a South Korean cosmetics corporation, decided to temporarily close down its production facility in Osan for disinfection measures. The company stated that the closure holds the possibility of disruptions in production. Likewise, COVID-19 has indeed placed South Korean businesses and consumers in an emergency situation.

On March 13, President Moon Jae-in convened an emergency meeting to review the domestic economic and financial conditions at present. As COVID-19 induced a major shock to the economy, President Moon expressed his concerns by describing the present situation as an “unprecedented economic emergency situation not comparable to those of MERS or SARS.” In order to minimize the financial damage and revive the shrinking economy, the importance of being attentive to the voices of citizens and aggressively implementing effective measures was strongly emphasized.

COVID-19 Permeates Japan

Japan was also one of the countries that could not escape from the wrath of COVID-19. “A petri dish” is how the NYT depicted the Diamond Princess cruise ship which had been docked in Yokohoma since February 4. After a passenger who had left the cruise ship in Hong Kong tested positive for COVID-19, over 3,700 passengers on board were required to remain on the ship in quarantine. Virus tests were performed on passengers by medical teams, and those who tested positive were then allowed to disembark from the ship for medical treatment.

According to BBC, Kentaro Iwata, a professor specializing in infection diseases at Kobe University, criticized how the government handled the cruise ship situation. Stating that the ship was “completely inadequate in terms of infection control,” he emphasized how passengers were vulnerable to the infection due to the ambiguous distinction made between the contaminated and infection-free areas within the ship.

Among the passengers of the Diamond Princess, 697 cases of COVID-19 infection and six deaths were reported. Additionally, cases of infection were discovered in passengers who returned home after initially being tested negative. For example, eight of the 164 Australian passengers evacuated to Darwin were reported to have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Katsunobu Kato, the Health Minister of Japan, stated that domestic follow-up examinations for the virus will be increased for the Japanese passengers who have left the ship.

Furthermore, as Japan is the host country of the 2020 Summer Olympics, concerns surrounding the international event have escalated. On February 25, Dick Pound, a senior member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stated that the cancellation of the Olympics is a possible decision to be made considering the current COVID-19 situation. According to Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC), Pound stated that the situation must be carefully monitored in order to check whether it can be said with confidence that the Tokyo Olympics is under “sufficient control.” The official decision regarding the Olympics is expected to be made in May, after a comprehensive consultation with the WHO and the United Nations (UN).

Facing a Worldwide Economic Plunge

The influence of COVID-19 did not only limit itself to Asia but led to an economic downturn stretching across the globe. On March 7, Bloomberg construed the COVID-19 outbreak as a catalyst to “a standstill” in the world economy. Based on the estimation of China’s weak gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 1.2 percent in 2020 first quarter year on year, it suggested that without a quick plan of action, China will generate a shock to the financial market and even cause a long-term recession.

However, business strategies of multinational corporations completely withdrawing from China are forecasted to be of low possibility. Professor Lee Wang-hwi (Department of Political Science and Diplomacy, Ajou University) explained that multinational corporations have endeavored to diversify their supply chain in order to reduce the damage of unpredictable natural disasters. For instance, after the United States (U.S.)-China trade war, western firms including those of the U.S. pursued relocation of production facilities from China to countries in Southeast Asia.

In spite of such efforts, numerous corporations are maintaining and even expanding their facilities in China. Professor Lee pointed out, “The reason behind the difficulties of multinational corporations to decrease the dependency on China is due to the fact China is the workshop of the world and possesses the world’s largest consumer market at the same time.” Therefore, the possibility for corporations to completely depart from China is expected to be shallow.

The Questionable Response of the WHO

The WHO, known for its primary role of securing better public health and combating diseases, has faced major criticisms after its initial response to COVID-19. During a press meeting in January, Tedros Adhnanom Ghebreyesus, the Director General of the WHO, praised the “commitment” and “transparency” of the Chinese government toward the outbreak. However, criticism followed this compliment after China was questioned about news manipulation and control — measures which were significantly incongruent with “endeavors toward transparency.”

The interlinkage between health and politics was also mentioned by CNN. As the WHO heavily depends on the financial backing and cooperation from member states, the decisions made by the agency have long been criticized for being politicized. In particular, the fact that China is “one of the wealthiest donors” to the WHO increased the suspicions behind the excessive praise for China’s measures from the Director General. Undeniably, the WHO’s response to COVID-19 was an incident which displayed the existing political intrusions to the international agency.

Coronavirus and Racism against Asia

According to TIME, “several accounts of racism and xenophobia have been reported and documented on social media” after the outbreak of COVID-19 was officially revealed. Anti-Asian hate- crimes increased, including verbal insults and physical attacks. Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), a U.S. radio and TV network, pointed out racist incidents in Asian American communities as well. In particular, businesses in New York City owned by Asian Americans have undergone “massive losses” — one restaurant even stating to have experienced a “50% drop in business.”

At the UN Human Rights Council’s 43rd session, Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated her concerns about the spread of worldwide discrimination due to the disease. Bachelet accentuated that the pandemic has induced “a disturbing wave of prejudice against people of Chinese and East Asian ethnicity.” As the impact size of COVID-19 is predicted to be extended, an earnest request for governments to combat against the current racism issue was voiced.

Will an End to Coronavirus Come?

Despite the fact that there is currently no definite vaccine targeted for COVID- 19, a vaccine and medical treatment for the infectious disease are under research. According to Yonhap News Agency (YNA), a research group in the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) reported to have discovered neutralizing antibodies that can fight against COVID-19. Such research was possible through finding similarities between the dielectric substance of COVID-19 and those of SARS and MERS. The antibody is predicted to contribute toward the development of an effective vaccination for patients of COVID-19.

Furthermore, on March 6, Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) reported that the Ministry of Science and Information and Communications Technology (MSIT) of South Korea plans to conduct experiments to test drugs suitable for COVID-19. Through cooperation with the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), the MSIT will screen more than 2,000 drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and develop experimental mice for animal testing. Although sufficient time will be required to develop a safe and effective medication for COVID-19, the research is expected to be pushed ahead considering the urgent need.

Globalization — though it shines with numerous positive aspects through lowering the barriers between countries worldwide, vulnerabilities do lie in cases of the rapid spread of deadly diseases. Now, COVID-19 is becoming a representative case of a global pandemic. Although concerns are rising for COVID-19 serving as a momentum for countries to reinforce their barriers, the indispensable need for worldwide cooperation continues to remain. In order to prevent further grievous damage from not only COVID-19 but future global health crises, citizens, political parties, and countries should actively unite to weather the pandemic with proper policies and treatment.