Chairman Park Yong-man: "Please Be Careful"... Comforting Cabin Crew Exposed to Danger

Concerns Over Empty Airports and Cabin Crew Amid COVID-19 Impact

Park Yong-man, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Park Yong-man, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, comforted airline cabin crew members working on-site amid the risks of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

On the 25th, Chairman Park posted on his Facebook, “When I boarded the plane, all the crew members were wearing masks and plastic gloves,” adding, “Seeing that in person made me a bit worried.”

While waiting for the plane to connect to the walkway, he briefly spoke with the crew about COVID-19 and comforted them by saying, “Please be careful.” Chairman Park explained, “As I got off and looked back, the young eyes hidden behind the masks were greeting me, which made my heart heavy.”

It appears that Chairman Park made these remarks reflecting on the atmosphere at the empty airport he visited to board the flight to New York and the safety of cabin crew members amid COVID-19.

On the same day, Korean Air announced that one of its cabin crew members tested positive for COVID-19 and is being managed by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In response, Korean Air temporarily closed the Incheon Operations Center (IOC) and conducted disinfection work, as the risk of COVID-19 is spreading to airports crowded with airlines and travelers.

Earlier, Chairman Park expressed concerns that COVID-19 could surpass past outbreaks like MERS and SARS, emphasizing that the damage is impacting both domestic consumption and exports.

He also requested the government to proactively work on measures to overcome the anticipated economic impact by distinguishing between micro-level measures by type and comprehensive macro-level measures.

Additionally, Chairman Park recommended that member companies of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry actively implement staggered commuting hours, telecommuting, and remote meetings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Chairman Park’s visit to New York this time was reported to be for personal matters, not an official schedule as the chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.