Seoul

THE South Korean government on Monday said it is ready to take swift measures to counter the negative effects on its economy from an outbreak of a deadly respiratory disease, suggesting that worried policymakers may soon deliver monetary and fiscal stimulus.

President Park Geun-hye said the negative economic effects from the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) should not be overlooked, while Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan vowed to take steps to offset any hit to growth.