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- 2025-12-26 09:24:31
- Policy
- The government invests ₩16 trillion for COVID-19
- by Lee, Jeong-Hwan Mar 03, 2020 06:09am
- The government announced on the 28th that it would invest about ₩16 trillion to finance, tax and banking to solve the problems caused by the spread of COVID-19. From March to June, the check and credit card income deduction rate will be doubled to the previous level, and individual consumption tax will be cut by 70%. VAT payments for self-employed business owners who suffered the damage of COVID-19 with annual sales of less than ₩60 million will be reduced to the level of simplified taxation by the end of next year. The government is also planning to submit additional revision budgets worth ₩6.2 trillion, the similar size of MERS crisis, with the aim of COVID-19 quarantine, diagnosis, treatment, recovery of damaged small business, public welfare and employment stability, and support of the stagnant regional economy. The economic vitality council held by Nam-ki Hong, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Economy and Finance included the contents. Nam-ki Hong, Deputy Prime Minister said, “As the spread of infections in the community worsened, the difficulties for the public's lives and the economy became severe and included special measures worth up to ₩16 trillion. It is to support strong overcoming damage and to reinforce consumption, investment and export slowdown”. The government will invest about ₩7 trillion in finance (₩2.8 trillion), tax (₩1.7 trillion), banking (₩2.5 trillion), and ₩9 trillion. in public and financial institutions. If the government adds ₩4 trillion of measures already in place, the government will spend ₩20 trillion. In addition, if the supplementary budget of more than ₩620 trillion is included, over ₩26 trillion will be spent to overcome COVID-19 outbreak. In February, the government revised the tax law in the extraordinary parliament and the income deduction rate of workers' credit card use will be from 15% to 30%, the use of ATM cards and cash receipts from 30% to 60%, and the use of traditional markets and public transportation will raise by 40 → 80% temporarily. In the same period, the individual consumption tax will be reduced by 70% from 5% to 1.5% within the limit of ₩1 million. Compared to the 30% reduction from the second half of 2018 to the end of last year, the cut has more than doubled, and the government expects the tax benefits to reach ₩470 billion. Benefits are doubled by adding 70% reduction in the individual consumption tax, which is applied to converting old cars to new cars for more than 10 years by the end of June. It also reduces tax burdens for small business owners who have been damaged by COVID-19. By the end of next year, VAT payments for small business owners with annual sales of less than ₩60 million will be reduced to the level of simplified taxation. The plan is to keep the simple tax base of ₩48 million in annual sales and keep the VAT burden low. As a result, the government expects that 900,000 individual business owners will receive tax incentives of ₩800 billion for two years, with annual averages of ₩200,000 ~ ₩800,000 per business per person The government subsidizes ₩500,000 in family care expenses until the end of COVID-19 outbreak when parents use family care leave to take care of children under 8 years of age, with the closing of nursery schools according to COVID-19. The job coupon system, which provides 20% of the total remuneration to elderly job participants in the form of local gift certificates, is also temporarily implemented for four months. The participant, however, must receive 30% of the total remuneration as a gift certificate, including any additional payment. It also introduces vacation, culture, tourism and maternity coupons, and a system that refunds 10% of the purchase price of high efficiency home appliances will also be implemented.
- Policy
- Remdesivir, Phase III clinical trials are imminent in Korea
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Mar 02, 2020 06:22am
- Gilead has applied for Remdesivir’s IND for COVID-19 patients at the MFDS. In Asian countries, including Korea (excluding China), the study targets 1000 patients. There is no country-specific number of subjects, but it is known to be recruited on a first come, first served basis. The MFDS announced that Gilead submitted a Phase III clinical trial plan for Remdesivir. An official from the MFDS said, "The IND was submitted today and plans to be reviewed for expedited examination". It will be approved as early as this week. Gilead Science said in a press release that it will conduct two Phase III trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Remdesivir in adult patients diagnosed with Corona19. Many medical institutions in Asia and many other cases of COVID-19 diagnosis plan to recruit 1000 patients from March. The trial will be conducted in accordance with the prompt review and approval of the US FDA. In China, two clinical trials are underway in Hubei Province. Results are reported in April, with 761 patients in clinical trials. Gilead says the trial evaluates two different durations of Remdesivir. In the first trial, approximately 400 COVID-19 confirmed patients with severe clinical features, will be randomly assigned to the 5- or 10-day Remdesivir group. The primary endpoint in the two trials is the same as the clinical improvement. Remdesivir is a drug that Gilead has already completed in Phase II clinical trials to develop Ebola. It is being used as the first treatment for COVID-19 in the United States, and it is getting attention as a treatment for COVID-19. It is a mechanism that prevents virus replication by binding to RNA, like Kaletra, an AIDS drug currently used in COVID-19 patients in Korea.
- Policy
- Single Hib vaccine Vaxem Hib exits Korean market
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Mar 02, 2020 06:21am
- Apparently, there are now only two single Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines left in the market that prevents cerebromeningitis in children by blocking Hib bacteria. Experts analyze, although a part of National Immunization Program, single Hib vaccine has lost its competitiveness in Korean market against other combination vaccines covering various viral infection. According to Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has dropped the license on Vaxem Hib on Feb. 25. It was not a surprise. GSK has suspended supply of Vaxem Hib since August last year. The company stated, “In the process of integrating and maintaining the production line to enhance efficiency in the vaccine business, the company has inevitably decided to suspend supply of Vaxem Hib that has been supplied only to Korean market.” Previously, GSK had suspended supply of Hib vaccine Hiberix in 2016. The license on Hiberix was terminated last August. ` Vaxem Hib was absorbed to GSK when it merged with Novartis Vaccine Division in 2015. But with the latest termination of license, the company is completely pulling out from the Korean Hib single vaccine market. Rather, the global company would concentrate on combined vaccine market with Infanrix IPV/ Hib combination vaccine. Now, LG Chem’s Euhib and Sanofi Pasteur’s Activ are the only Hib vaccines in Korea. Euhib was developed solely with Korean-made technology and received license in August 2010 after eight years of development costing approximately 7.7 billion won. Thanks to Euhib, Korea has a self-sustainable supply of Hib vaccine. Hib vaccine used to be a blockbuster market generating 10 billion won per each item. But Hib vaccine lost its competitiveness as combination vaccine covering Hib virus was designated as a National Immunization Program since 2017. According to last year’s data disclosed by IQVIA, Vaxem Hib, Euhib and Activ made around 700 million won, 500 million won and 64 million won, respectively. Meanwhile, pentavalent vaccine Pentaxim by Sanofi Pasteur has generated 11.9 billion last year. With a single shot, Pentaxim can prevent diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis and invasive infection by Hib bacterium. Frequently found in children under five, Hib bacteria could cause invasive infection-induced diseases, such as meningitis, epiglottitis, septic arthritis, pneumonia and cellulitis. Approximately 90 percent of pediatric meningitis is reportedly induced from the bacteria. Accordingly, Korea’s National Immunization Program has included Hib vaccine since March 2013.
- Policy
- Additional indication of interferon or Kaletra is recognized
- by Kim, Jung-Ju Mar 02, 2020 06:20am
- The government recognizes widespread benefits of antiviral drugs even if it is not approved indication, including interferon, as well as AIDS treatments such as Kaletra for the treatment of The Ministry of Health and Welfare issued a partial amendment of 'Details on the Pharmaceutical Reimbursement Listing Standard and Method' on the 20th and released the relevant standards. The General Principles of COVID-19 coverage are included in the Mers Cronona Virus (MERS-CoV) benefit standard. Therapeutic agents are ▲Interferon preparations ▲Lopinavir + Ritonavir preparations ▲Antimalarial drugs Hydroxychloroquine preparations ▲Hepatitis C treatment Ribavirin preparations ▲Human immunoglobulin G (IVIG) preparations ▲ Antibiotic such as Oseltamivir and Relenza (Zanamivir) for external use. First, Interferon preparations include pegylated interferon and no single administration is recommended. The Lopinavir + Ritonavir formulation such as Kaletra is a treatment for AIDS and Ribavirin is not recommended as a single drug or primary medication. IVIG is IV-Globulin SN injection and can be used for sepsis or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Oseltamivir such as Tamiflu capsules and Zanamivir, such as Relenza, are used in cases where the influenza infection is complicated or strongly suspected. The reimbursement will be applied retroactively starting on January 4th. The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to review the revised provisions one year from the date of implementation.
- Policy
- COVID-19 treatment is active in domestic clinical
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Feb 28, 2020 06:02am
- As the number of Korean COVID-19 patients has soared, the development of therapeutics is also active. In addition to multinational pharmaceutical company Gillead, domestic pharmaceutical company Komipharm has applied for clinical trial approval of the pipelines, and Immunemed's antiviral drug was approved for therapeutic use. Gilead said that it will begin a clinical trial to research the efficacy and safety of Remdesivir in adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19. The trial will evaluate two different dosing periods for Remdesivir. In the first trial, approximately 400 COVID-19 patients with severe clinical features, will be randomized into the Remdesivir 5 or 10 day group. In the second trial, approximately 600 patients with moderate COVID-19 will be randomized to the Remdesivir 5-day, 10-day, or standard therapy alone groups. The primary evaluation variable in both trials is the same as the clinical improvement. In multi-national trials, the number of subjects in Korea is unknown. However, it is known that it recruits 1,000 people on a first-come, first-served basis. The MFDS said that IND was received on the same day, and the exact information will be released after approval. The MFDS plans to quickly approve clinical trials. Remdesivir is a nucleotide analog pipeline that has shown extensive antiviral activity in vitro and in vivo animal models of new viral pathogens such as Ebola, MERS and SARS. The symptoms improved with the first patient in COVID-19 in the United States, and is currently undergoing clinical trials in 761 patients in Wuhan, China. Domestic companies also started to develop treatments. Komipharm announced on the 26th that it has submitted IND application to KFDA to approve the clinical trial plan to expand the application of COVID-19 pneumonia from the new drug 'Panaphix', which is under development to suppress cytokines. The company said the drug would treat the pneumonia caused by viral infections quickly and by inhibiting immune cell signaling factors and inhibiting the release of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. The company emphasized that it has been effective in treating pneumonia, especially in animal studies and clinical trials involving 372 patients with other diseases. The trial will include a total of 100 patients, 50 in each cohort. The antiviral drug developed by Immunemed has been approved for emergency use in patients with COVID-19. The MFDS explained to a COVID-19 confirmed patient who was admitted to Seoul National University Hospital on the 21st that they approved the use of the antiviral pipeline 'HzVSF v13' which is being developed by Immunemed. The drug is known to have humanized the virus suppressing factor (VSF). The company has been conducting Phase I clinical trials for influenza diseases since 2018. If there is a therapeutic effect in patients receiving this agent, the possibility of full-scale clinical trials cannot be excluded. The company, however, said it could not tell the question if it had benefited from patient administration. Meanwhile, emergency introduction has not yet been decided on Abigan ( Favipiravir), which is being used as COVID-19 treatment in Japan. In general, the use of the emergency introduction system to import domestic unlicensed items requires a request from the KCDC to the MFDS. The MFDS official explained, however, that no request has been made so far, and it is currently being discussed with the central clinical trial committee.
- Policy
- A set of three bills about COVID-19 was passed
- by Lee, Jeong-Hwan Feb 28, 2020 06:01am
- The National Assembly held a plenary session at 2 pm on the 26th and passed 'a set of three bills about COVID-19' and a proposal for a special committee for countermeasures against the COVID-19. A set of three bills about COVID-19 came into effect after government promulgation, and the ruling & the opposition parties had the authority to act immediately upon the resolution of the National Assembly. Thus, if the price of quarantine goods such as medicines rises rapidly or there is a shortage of supply due to the first-class infectious disease, the Minister of Health and Welfare may prohibit the export or export of goods such as masks and antiseptics for a certain period of time. A legal basis has also been established to enforce inspection, self-assessment, and treatment of COVID-19 Super spreader #31 If a person who is concerned about an infectious disease epidemic or who has stayed or passed through an infected disease area refuses to take measures such as self-containment, facility isolation, symptom check, investigation, and medical examination, he or she may be sentenced to jail for less than one year or fined up to ₩10 million. The number of quarantine officials at the health ministry would rise to more than 100 from the current 30. In some cities, counties, and districts, there is a legal basis for mandatory epidemiological investigators. In addition, it is mandatory for medical institutions and pharmacies to operate the International Traveler Information System (ITS) at all times. Even if the law is violated, there is no administrative provisions such as penalties. The amendment to the Quarantine Act allows the Minister of Health and Welfare to ask the Minister of Justice to prohibit or suspend entry for persons entering or transiting from areas where epidemic or epidemic is prevalent. The Medical Law passed by the plenary has established the name and definition of medical infections, and strengthened the medical institution's infection monitoring system and self-reporting provisions.The COVID-19 Special Committee of the ruling and opposition parties has also completed the procedures necessary for the formation and launch. The parliament agreed to form a special committee for the COVID-19, and the chairman, Han Pyo Kim was appointed by the Democratic Party. The Special Committee decided to devise comprehensive measures at the parliamentary level, such as resolving the instability of the COVID-19 and supporting budgets and institutions to minimize economic damage. It is also the task of the Special Committee to strengthen quarantine measures, improve response manuals and develop support measures. Including Kim in the Democratic Party and a special committee secretariat, Dong-min Ki, also the ruling party Health and Welfare Commissioner, Nine members like Sang-hee Kim, Eui-rak Hong, Seung-rae Cho, Ki-joon Shim, Jung Park, Young-ho Kim, and Yun-jeong Hur were included in the committee. the United Future Party was elected by Senator Seung-hee Kim, former Minister of the MFDS, with Sang-jin Shin, Kyung-won Na, Chae-ik Lee, Dae-chul Park, Sun-rye Kim, Seung-ju Baek, and Tae-ok Jung. Representative Kwang-soo Kim participated in the Minsaeng Party, which was created by three Honam parties, including the Barennmirae Party, the New Alternatives Party, and the Party for Democracy and Peace. The task force of the special committee is until May 29, when the 20th National Assembly ends.
- Policy
- What is the solution to the COVID-19 crisis?
- by Lee, Jeong-Hwan Feb 28, 2020 06:01am
- To reduce the number of serious and death patients, the burden on medical institutions should be minimized. Abandoning the idea that a hospital should see a minor patient unconditionally, and dispatching a medical team, but it is possible to efficiently manage infection by securing a management bed of a serious patient. (Professor Jung-sik Eom, Gachon University Gil Medical Center) As COVID-19 reached the critical stage of crisis warning, experts from the medical field of infectious diseases met with President Moon and urged to address the shortage of quarantine items such as screening of serious and severe patients and masks. On January 24, Cheongwadae said it held a top aide meeting presided over by President Moon from 2pm to 4pm. There were ten members including Kyung-ran Baek, Chairman of the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases , Dong-hyun Kim, Chairman of the Korean Society of Epidemiology, Tak Hur, Chairman of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine, Seong-ran Kim, Chairman of the Korean Association of Infection Control Nurses, and Committee working TF official. The promotion of public hygiene regulations has led to the need for the public to cooperate with the medical staff at the forefront. Another suggestion was to expand the mitigation policy by focusing on the outbreak of infections in Daegu and Gyeongbuk. Kyung-ran Baek, Chairman of the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases said, "We should apply mitigation policies to minimize damage to Daegu, Gyeongbuk, Busan, and Gyeongnam, and rather than washing your hands vaguely, must specify this way of publicity that you wash your hands frequently with soap, for more than 30 seconds, and cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when you cough or sneeze". Sang-il Kim, the TF chief of the Pan-Academic COVID-19 Countermeasures Committee, said, “it is necessary to change people's awareness. The people are one axis, not the target of the quarantine system. It is not just hard to wash hands, but it is very necessary for the people's efforts”. Dong-hyun Kim, Chairman of the Korean Society of Epidemiology, said that several stage upgrades were appropriate, but organizational changes should not occur. Changes in policy and response are needed. Also, he added that it is urgent to make local people dissemination behaviors, and it is important to cooperate with civil society in the mitigation policy. The message that the situation can be overcome should come from many communities, organizations and groups. There were also opinions on the need for prevention and treatment strategies to further shape the role of hospitals for treating mild and severe patients. Hee-Jin Chung, Vice Chairman of the Korean Society for Antimicrobial Therapy, said, “We need a strategy for local governments to quickly designate the role of critically ill hospitals among patients who are diagnosed, and maintaining the existing medical system, but the gap between local governments, suggests the operation of a special advisory group at the central measures headquarters in the prime minister". Professor Jung-sik Eom, Gachon University Gil Medical Center also said, "The treatment of mild patients needs special measures. If a patient is self-isolated at a specific facility, such as Koreans withdrew from Wuhan, the medical staff can go to the facility and can secure the bed". He said that it's a different idea to reduce infections in hospitals, If the hospital burden increases, one seriously ill person can infect the whole like Cheongdo Daenam Hospital. Even medical institutions lamented that they were suffering from supply of protective equipment for infectious diseases such as masks. Seong-ran Kim, Chairman of the Korean Association of Infection Control Nurses, said, “even medical institutions are hard to find protective equipment, so they use masks little by little, and please consider the way to produce and control the protective equipment at the national level to share goods". Eun-hwa Choi, vice chairman of the Korean Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases, said, “The spread of community infections can cause children to infect the community. Although the school delayed a week, children are often cared for by older grandparents, who are susceptible to infection. It is needed to introduce paid vacation for parents to care for them at home”.
- Policy
- Remdesivir to promote domestic clinical trials for COVID-19
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Feb 27, 2020 06:33am
- Gilead developed the Ebola treatment 'Remdesivir' in preparation for a clinical trial in Korea. The MFDS plans to review the Phase III clinical trial plan from Gilead promptly. Eui-Kyung Lee, the Minister of the MFDS explained on the 25th at the regular briefing on the COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Headquarters, "COVID-19 drugs are being developed in Korea, and Phase I clinical trials have been completed and are currently being developed". According to the MFDS, this drug is called Remdesivir, an Ebola treatment developed by the global pharmaceutical company Gilead. Remdesivir is a drug that has become famous after embarking on a clinical trial in China for patients with COVID-19. The drug is already being used as the first patient in the United States to confirm the symptom improvement effect, and is attracting attention as a treatment for COVID-19. In China, clinical trials are underway in 308 mild to moderate patients. There are no detailed plans such as specific subjects and medical institutions in Korea. An official from the Food and Drug Administration said, "We are discussing the domestic clinical trials with Remdesivir by Gilead". Meanwhile, 'Avigan' (Favipiravir), which is being used as a treatment for COVID-19 in Japan, is considering importing domestic income through an emergency introduction system. The emergency introduction system is a special provision on preventive and therapeutic medicines in the case of national emergency situations under Article 85-2 of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, and it contains information that can be imported in the event of a pandemic. Avigan is an antiviral drug developed by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical, Japan, and is used for flu patients who are ineffective against existing antiviral agents in Korea, no product license has been obtained yet, and there are no ongoing clinical trials. The MFDS is considering urgent introduction at the request of the Center for Disease Control. In addition, the MFDS is introducing emergency syrups for Kaletra (Lopinavir/Ritonavir, Abbi), an AIDS treatment that is currently used in patients with COVID-19 in Korea. Kaletra syrup has already been purchased through the Korean Orphan & essential Drug Center.
- Policy
- Betmiga lowers pricing with PVA, Tazime keeps original price
- by Kim, Jung-Ju Feb 27, 2020 06:32am
- Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s bacterial blood infection and meningitis treatment Tazime 2 g injection has been exempted from automatic pricing reduction as its competing item is removed from the tentative reimbursement listing. The price of Astellas Pharma Korea’s blockbuster drug Betmiga PR tablet would be lowered from Mar 1 due to price-volume agreement (PVA) system. Successfully signing risk sharing agreement (RSA), the price of Bayer Korea’s metastatic colorectal cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) treatment Stivarga 40 mg tablet (regorafenib) would be reduced by 7 percent to 34,045 won, starting from June 1. Janssen Korea’s Invega ER tablet, AbbVie Korea’s Jurnista 4 mg SR tablet and LG Chem’s AspoV Nail Lacquer are to be removed from the reimbursement listing from Mar 1, as the respective companies have voluntarily dropped the item approval. But the reimbursement would be provided until August 31 for the treatment access of patients. Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) finalized the said changes on the List of Reimbursed Drugs and Maximum Reimbursed Price. First, Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Tazime 2 g injection would maintain the reimbursed price as another listed option was removed from the listing. Korea Prime Pharm’s Tofdin 2 g injection was supposed to be competing against and affecting price of Tazime 2 g injection. The competing injection had applied for tentative reimbursement as it was scheduled to launch on Mar. 21. It would have automatically lowered the price of Tazime 2 g injection to 16,400 won per vial from Mar. 21. But upon request by Korea Prime Pharm, Tofdin 2 g injection was dropped from the tentative listing and left Tazime 2 g injection with its original listing price. Accordingly, MOHW has decided to keep the existing reimbursed price of 18,082 won per vial for Tazime 2 g injection. Also, Hanwha Pharma’s Muteran syrup, two doses of Seoul Pharma’s Sebron syrup, and two doses of Kolon Pharmaceutical’s Turant syrup would maintain the initial reimbursed pricing as first generic in the class, because no other company has registered a generic in the class for over a year. It would come in effect from Mar. 1. Indicated to treat metastatic colorectal cancer, GIST and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Bayer Korea’s Stivarga 40 mg tablet is lowering its price with renewed RSA from June 1. Stivarga 40 mg tablet engaged in renegotiation with National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) and successfully renewed the RSA by lowering the price by 7 percent to 34,045 won. Negotiated with NHIS over PVA, Astellas Pharma Korea would lower the price of 50 mg and 25 mg PR tablets of Betmiga to 712 won and 475 won, respectively, from Mar. 1. Due to expanded indication, Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea is proactively lowering the price of Adcetris injection by 3.6 percent from 3,262,400 won to 3,144,953 won, starting from the beginning of next month. 34 items would be automatically unlisted from reimbursement listing as the pharmaceutical company voluntarily withdrew their item licenses. The following items are included among the 34 items; Janssen Korea’s Topamax sprinkle capsule and Invega ER tablet; Abbvie Korea’s Lucrin 3.75 mg depot injection and Jurnista 4 mg SR tablet; LG Chem’s AspoV Nail Lacquer; CTCBIO’s Newtiro tablet, Lastrin tablet, Zetis tablet and Protera 2 mg tablet; Union Korea Pharm’s Union Ofloxacin eye drop; Chem Tech Research Inc.’s Highpure eye drops 0.1%; Binex’ Epinis tablet; Sam Il’s Valsarodin tablet; Cosmax Bio’s Cosvix tablet, Nizamax 150 mg capsule and Cosbamin tablet, Maxtop tablet, Cosrid tablet, Cosverin tablet, Cosulon capsule, Cos 2 mg DR tablet, and Clycin dry syrup; NBK Pharm’s Pendes tablet; and Korea Global Pharm’s Thioctad 200 mg tablet. The drugs above would be removed from the List of Reimbursed Drugs from Mar. 1, but the government would continue to provide the reimbursement for the medications until Aug. 31 for the sake of patient’s treatment accessibility and predictability.
- Policy
- National Assembly also shocked by COVID-19
- by Lee, Jeong-Hwan Feb 26, 2020 06:29am
- Parliament and politicians were also shocked by COVID-19. Recently, the plenary session was urgently canceled as the delegation of the debate held at the congress hall in the parliament building was confirmed by COVID-19, and a 24 hour closure measure was established for defense. Representative Jae-cheol Shim and a member Jeon Hee-kyung, who were known to have contacted COVID-19 infected patients, also moved to the hospital for COVID-19 test. On the 24th, the National Assembly decided to conduct full-scale protection of the National Assembly and members of the House of Representatives in order to respond to COVID-19 crisis. The two buildings will begin quarantine at 6 pm on the day and will be temporarily closed for 24 hours. As a result, the plenary session scheduled for 25th was automatically canceled. The main building and the House of Representatives decided to open again on Wednesday 26th at 9 am. A spokesman for the National Assembly, Min-soo Han, held an emergency briefing at the National Assembly's controversial hall, explaining that "attendees at the event turned out to be COVID-19 confirmers and conduct full-scale protection of the parliament hall and main building". The measures are in accordance with Article 47 of the Act on the Prevention and Management of Infectious Diseases. It is a provision that allows necessary measures such as temporary closure and disinfection of sites where they are considered to be contaminated with infectious disease pathogens. The background of the National Assembly's entry into the sphere of influence of COVID-19 was that Yoon-su Ha, chairman of the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations, was confirmed in a few days after a debate held in the House of Representatives. Charman Ha and his wife were both confirmed COVID-19, and it was reported that Jae-cheol Shim, representative of United Future Party and Hee-kyung Chun, a member sat next to them during the debate. The United Future Party urgently canceled the general assembly, which was scheduled for the 24th, and the plenary session, which was scheduled to be held at 2:00 pm, and the government questions in politics, diplomacy, reunification and security. It was the result of the Democratic Party's proposal to postpone after hearing about the infection news, which the Unification Party accepted. As expected, the ruling party was expected to handle the agenda at the plenary session, including electing the National Assembly's permanent chairman (chairman of information and chairman of the education), handling appointing candidates for the Supreme Court Justice Tae-ak Roh, electing a member of the National Rights Commissioner, and organizing the National Assembly COVID-19 special committee. Subsequent questions were scheduled in the fields of politics, diplomacy, and unification security.
