June 26, 2015 Issue

Seoul, South Korea—A worker sprays antiseptic solution as a precaution against the spread of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) at a civic center on June 12. The MERS outbreak, which began in May, has killed 16 people and sparked widespread fears of further contagion. The South Korean economy has suffered as consumers have stayed indoors, driving retail sales down by 17 percent. Baseball teams have played to empty stadiums, and tourists have canceled their vacations. South Korean President Park Geun-hye recently called off a diplomatic trip to the U.S. to address the crisis, urging citizens to shop and trust the government in its quarantine efforts.