<Anchor>

Today (11th), our government sends 2 million masks to the United States. It was in response to President Trump's request for medical supplies last March. He explained that he considered the supply and demand of domestic masks and the need for assistance to the United States.

This is reporter Kim Hye-young.

<Reporter>

Domestic masks are stacked in boxes at the Incheon International Airport warehouse. It is a total of 2 million sheets.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent this mask to an American freighter earlier this morning to help the United States, which is struggling with the spread of Corona19.

By this afternoon, masks arriving in the United States will be distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to necessary sites such as medical facilities.

This was in response to President Trump's request for medical supplies in a call with President Moon Jae-in on March 24.

Prior to this, it was the first time that masks were applied to China before the export of masks was banned.

Currently, export of masks is prohibited in principle, but the government has decided to allow foreign supplies for humanitarian purposes, if requested by the foreign government.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "This support also considered the supply and demand of domestic masks and the need for assistance to our allies, the United States."