Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun says the COVID-19 pandemic has not only robbed people of their daily lives but also ravaged the nation’s economy. 

Chung made the remark on Wednesday when he chaired a government meeting on coronavirus responses in Seoul. 

He said what’s most frightening is that no one can project the extent of the repercussions of the pandemic.  

The prime minister said it has affected every single individual, including youths seeking jobs, self-employed people, wage earners and even businesspeople.

Chung said while the nation must remain alert for other possible mass infections, it has come to a point where it can afford to discuss ways to normalize the economy devastated by the pandemic.  

His remarks suggest that the government will now shift its efforts toward economic recovery from quarantine measures as the rate of COVID-19 infections has stabilized in the nation.