Seoul: South Korea is set to hold its first-ever pan-government tabletop exercise to prepare for a possible supply chain crisis, bringing together related government ministries and private companies, officials said Tuesday. The exercise aims to strengthen the nation's ability to respond to disruptions in the supply of key materials critical to Korean industries.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the public-private tabletop exercise will run for three days through Thursday, simulating disruptions in supply caused by a natural disaster. Officials from the finance, industry, and other related ministries will participate in the exercise alongside private sector companies. The focus is on enhancing collaboration between government and industry to minimize potential damage to the national economy.

The government aims to establish a prompt public-private joint response mechanism through the exercise. Officials stated that the goal is to minimize economic damage in the event of an actual supply chain crisis. This exercise is seen as a critical step in preparing South Korea for unforeseen disruptions.

Sohn Woong-ki, a finance ministry official responsible for economic supply chain policy, stated, "Through this tabletop exercise, we aim to enhance governmentwide crisis response capabilities and incorporate the results of the drill into the supply chain crisis response manuals currently being developed by 13 relevant ministries to ensure greater consistency and applicability to real crisis situations." The initiative underscores the government's commitment to bolstering its crisis management strategies.