President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday asked the parliamentarians to prioritize strengthening quarantine and public health capabilities at the incoming 21st National Assembly.

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Moon said that strengthening related capabilities including upgrading the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should be prioritized. The term of the current National Assembly will end on May 29, giving way to the lawmakers elected in this year’s general elections for their four-year term.

“Raising the KCDC to disease control administration quickly would better. As it is something pledged by both the ruling and opposition blocs to prioritize reorganization in the 21st National Assembly,” Moon said. The issue of expanding the KCDC was most recently raised by Moon in his public address given on Sunday, the third anniversary of his inauguration.

Saying that timing is crucial, Moon said that there is no time to hesitate in related matters, adding that measures are needed to prepare for the second wave of the pandemic in the latter half of the year which some experts are predicting.

Moon also said that the process of implementing a third supplementary budget should begin as soon as possible.

“To reduce the employment shock, and revitalize the economy, speed is necessary. Measures for promoting investments, and revitalizing the manufacturing industry and local economies should be rolled out ahead of the timetable.”

At the meeting, Moon once again highlighted his plans for a “Korean New Deal,” saying that the project must be bold, and concentrate on new projects.

Saying that the essence of “Korean New Deal” is developing new, large-scale projects, he said that related measures should lay the foundation for economic growth in the future. Moon proposed the idea of “Korean New Deal” as part of the government’s COVID-19 economic response, which aims to create jobs through projects spearheaded by the government.

Moon said that as the world is going through unprecedented changes, the country must respond proactively, and that elements that hamper the drive to establish a “pioneering economy” must be “boldly removed.”

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)