South Korea's business community is going all-out to tide over the fallout of Middle East respiratory syndrome as the unexpected outbreak of the acute respiratory epidemic in Asia's fourth-largest economy is taking a heavy toll on their operations and sales, industry sources said Sunday.
  

The Federation of Korean Industries, the country's largest business lobby group, has urged its member companies to go ahead with their key events and operations as planned, as MERS-related panic has been excessive, leading to sharper than expected damage to business activities.
  

"Amid a protracted slump in the global economy and domestic demand, the local economy could be hit hard by MERS," said Lim Sang-hyuck, a senior official at the FKI.
  

The FKI has decided to go ahead with its key committee meetings slated this week in a show of its strong will to overcome MERS-related fears spreading in the local business community.
  

Local companies are also chiming in by pushing ahead with product-launching events as scheduled. Hyundai Motor Co., the country's No. 1 automaker, and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors Corp. are planning to organize events next month for their release of new car models.
  

The country's airlines, hit by massive trip cancellations, are also ramping up their efforts.
  

Both Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc., the country's two largest full-service carriers, had reported a sharp drop in passenger traffic, announcing plans to reduce flights to China.
  

But Asiana Airlines has decided to launch its Incheon-Rome route on June 30 as scheduled, and Korean Air has announced a deal to purchase 100 new passenger jets, which will cost the airline some $12.23 billion won, the largest purchase deal recorded in airline history here.
  

"What's most important is to regain psychological stability," said the FKI official. "We also hope that the government will take measures such as tax cuts, in order to boost private spending." (Yonhap)