South Korea's top economic policymaker has vowed to foster the country's infectious disease quarantine and medical treatment-related industries amid rising interest in the area due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At an emergency economic meeting on Thursday, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki announced a "three-plus-one" strategy to foster the areas of quarantine and infectious disease prevention, diagnosis and testing, vaccine and treatment, and commercializing the entire system.

In quarantine and prevention, the government plans to develop an artificial intelligence and big data-based system to predict infectious diseases and spend one-point-two trillion won by 2025 towards localizing production of quarantine equipment. 

The government will provide research institutes with manpower and equipment for the development of diagnostic apparatus, and expand state support for clinical trials and research and development of vaccines and treatments.

Medical facilities and national research institutes specializing in infectious diseases and viruses will also be established. Additionally, the government plans to seek international standardization of the Korean COVID-19 quarantine model of active testing, tracing and treatment.