Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki says the government will discuss possible measures to alleviate local small businesses’ difficulties amid growing global concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus. 

Hong made the remark in a meeting with small business representatives in Myeongdong, central Seoul on Monday, sympathizing with their hardships stemming from falling domestic sales as well as a sharp decline in the number of tourists. 

Choi Seung-jae, the head of the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise who attended the meeting, said they feel more insecure now than during the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome(MERS) outbreak in 2015 and called for state assistance, including financial benefits. 

In response, Hong said he will discuss with related government agencies on the possibility of lowering policy loan rates and expanding guarantees among other measures to help resolve their issues.