“Therefore the prices could fluctuate sharply and massive losses [could be incurred depending] on illegal speculative investments and changes in domestic and overseas regulatory environments.” To prevent any further policy confusion, the Prime Minister’s office will be acting as the command center for the government’s cryptocurrency policy. Chung stressed that there was no miscommunication within the government, adding that last week’s comment about shutting down the exchanges by the Justice Minister was a proposal. Last Thursday, Justice Minister Park Sang-ki announced that the government would be shutting down cryptocurrency exchanges, as it viewed them as speculation and gambling. Park said that all government departments agreed to the decision. This sparked big fluctuations in the value of cryptocurrencies and some public outrage, including an online petition. Just seven hours after the Justice Minister’s comment, the Blue House backtracked and said the decision wasn’t final. On the following day, Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon tried to calm down infuriated investors by saying additional discussions were needed. The Financial Supervisory Service also on Monday announced that it will launch a task force to monitor any disruptions including illegal activities involving cryptocurrencies. Concerned over the government’s stance on the cryptocurrency market, some banks announced plans to stop opening new accounts on Friday, which were immediately reversed, adding to the confusion.