By Kim Hyelin and Kim Minji

European dailies have hailed Korea's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The leading Spanish newspaper El Pais on March 16 cited Korea's fast and resolute response in the article "Korea, a good example of coping with COVID-19 that Spain could not follow."

The daily quoted Miguel A. Hernan, a professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at Harvard University, as saying, "All countries should have responded to COVID-19 like Korea," adding, "In Korea, no areas were blocked."

Korea's good response was also done while minimizing inconvenience to its people, El Pais added.

The Austrian daily Wiener Zeitung also commended Korea as a good example of responding to the crisis, citing information on potential infections provided via mobile apps and massive testing conducted including through drive-through screening clinic.

Unlike Europe, the newspaper said, Korea was ready for this crisis given its experience with the MERS outbreak in 2015.

German media also said Korea responded effectively to the pandemic because it was well prepared.

The daily Berliner Zeitung on March 14 said in the article "Learning through crisis," "Korean health authorities of Korea used accumulated data earned through the country's experience of coping with contagious diseases in the past," adding, "Korea regularly contacts those confirmed to have the coronavirus until the beds are prepared for them, while checking if they are following self-quarantine rules through mobile apps."

Northern Europe also covered Korea's response to COVID-19.

The Swedish dailies DN and Svenska Dagbladet said Korea sufficiently responded to the outbreak without closing borders and that others should learn from the Korean government's measures like transparent disclosure of information.

kimhyelin211@korea.kr