South Korea on Wednesday ordered a crackdown on the hoarding of critical items such as medical syringes and petrochemical feedstocks amid supply concerns stemming from the ongoing Middle East conflict, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok gave the instructions during an emergency economic headquarters meeting, one of several bodies launched to coordinate the government's response to the US-Israel war with Iran.
The government has banned stockpiling medical syringes and needles and key petrochemical feedstocks, such as ethylene, propylene and butadiene, due to concerns about shortages.
"I ask relevant ministries to strictly crack down on hoarding behavior that disrupts the market order," the prime minister said.
Kim also called for every effort to be made to smoothly execute a 26.2 trillion-won ($17.7 billion) extra budget passed by the National Assembly last week, which includes cash assistance to the bottom 70% of income earners.
