Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun has issued an apology after the government failed to keep its promise to promptly provide face masks via official distribution networks.

Chung made the apology on Friday when he chaired a meeting in the hard-hit southeastern city of Daegu. He has been staying there since Tuesday as the head of the central disaster and safety countermeasures headquarters. 

In the meeting, Chung ordered the related ministries, including those for finance and drug and food safety, to thoroughly take steps to supply masks to the public. He stressed that governmental authority exists to protect people’s lives and their safety.  

The prime minister also said the related ministers should consider more active ways to supply masks if the current measures prove to be inefficient.