President Moon Jae-in has reaffirmed his resolve to end the spread of the new coronavirus in South Korea.

At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Moon said the nation should be prepared for the worst case scenario of a protracted outbreak and minimize the economic impact and damage. 

Noting that protecting the safety of citizens is the reason for the nation's existence and the government's basic duty, he stressed that response measures on various fronts need to be arranged swiftly. 

The president said the domestic economy and people's livelihoods are facing renewed difficulties from an "unexpected" factor, after showing signs of recovery in the new year.  

According to Moon, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is leading a pan-government response to the virus, mobilizing all-out efforts in the fight against the outbreak.

With Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, as well as the Gyeonggi, North and South Chuncheong provincial governors in attendance, Moon also emphasized the importance of close coordination between the central and local governments in preventing further spread of the virus in local communities.