President Moon: "Rapidly Increasing Mask Production Volume Is the Most Important" (Comprehensive)

Visit to Pyeongtaek Mask Manufacturer, Encouraging Officials... "Government to Purchase All Surplus Stock for Strategic Reserve"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] On the afternoon of the 6th, President Moon Jae-in visited Wooil C&Tech, a mask manufacturing company in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, and emphasized, "While the public should consider the shortage of production volume and practice considerate consumption together, the fundamental measure is to rapidly increase production volume, which is the most important task."

President Moon made these remarks emphasizing the importance of mask measures related to the 'Novel Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19).' He explained, "Masks must be supplied first to quarantine sites, prevention sites, medical sites, and the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, and since masks are provided free of charge to vulnerable groups, it has become difficult for the general public to purchase masks."

Regarding concerns that mask manufacturers might face inventory problems after producing large quantities, President Moon stated, "Even if demand decreases, the government plans to purchase all surplus masks for a sufficient period during which manufacturers can adjust production volume, and stockpile them as strategic resources to prepare for future public safety."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The reason President Moon visited Wooil C&Tech is that it is gaining attention as a model case for solving mask supply issues amid the COVID-19 crisis. The company increased its daily production from 200,000 to 500,000 masks through workforce expansion and special labor shifts.

Cheong Wa Dae Press Secretary Han Jung-woo explained, "This visit is to a mask manufacturer that has more than doubled its production scale through workforce expansion and special labor shifts," adding, "This company manufactures health masks and uses entirely domestically produced MB filters."

Wooil C&Tech recently doubled its production volume through workforce expansion and special labor shifts. While producing an average of 200,000 masks daily in January, it is now producing 500,000 masks daily in the first week of the recent period. The workforce is adjusted according to packaging and manufacturing conditions, and they are working 24 hours a day through extended shifts.

Wooil C&Tech supplies all the masks it produces to Yuhan-Kimberly. Amid increasing mask demand due to the spread of COVID-19, the company has hired about 80 additional workers.

A Wooil C&Tech official explained, "Since we have various product lines besides masks, we have stopped those and shifted entirely to mask production," adding, "We work 24 hours day and night, with no holidays. We only took one break every four weeks, and the last break was on Sunday."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The CEO of Yuhan-Kimberly said, "Manufacturers and sellers have been working closely together since the Lunar New Year to produce as much as possible, and we are collaborating on manpower, technology, and materials to produce more and make every effort," adding, "We are very concerned about the shortage of mask filters."

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yun-mo said, "The emergency funds prepared this time are currently being offered to filter manufacturers to support the installation costs of melting equipment, and several companies have already been proposed," adding, "The government proposed the emergency fund support program, and if it is all used up, we will supply filters whenever there is demand."

President Moon urged, "To prevent existing workers from suffering from excessively long working hours, workforce supplementation must be made, and support for employment should be greatly increased to enable such supplementation. Also, as production volume increases, appropriate profits should be properly guaranteed so that sufficient compensation can be received, and especially, efforts should be made to provide incentives for the increased production volume."

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