[Deputy Editor's Column] 'Social Distance' and 'Social Solidarity'

On the 9th, staff members were preparing lunchboxes at the Seongdong Comprehensive Social Welfare Center in Seoul. To prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the welfare center has closed its free meal service and delivers seven meals' worth of lunchboxes and alternative meals once a week to vulnerable groups within the district.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

"Although worship services are held online, we have not been able to provide meals for the elderly for a month now..."

The pastor of a small church located in the middle of Seoul, amidst old residential areas awaiting redevelopment, was more worried about the suspension of side dish volunteer work for nearby elderly living alone than about the Shincheonji issue or the government's suspension of worship services. Every week, a few dedicated church members prepared three or four side dishes in the church kitchen and delivered them, and on Sundays, they shared a simple but warm soup and lunch together. However, this has been halted for two months now.

The pastor said, "There is no rice to eat immediately, and those who are ill come out to the community center or welfare center, but poor elderly people who have no family interaction are practically isolated alone at home during times like these."

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of 'social distancing' is emphasized daily. Companies and government offices have gradually shifted employees to work from home, reduced face-to-face meetings, reports, and business trips, and now even issued guidelines to minimize private gatherings. From reactions like 'It's nice not to have company dinners' to bosses who insist on holding unplanned video meetings saying, 'Let's each make a cup of coffee and sit in front of the camera,' a new kind of social life, previously unexperienced, is unfolding.

The government's decision to postpone the opening of elementary, middle, and high schools until April 6 means that whether our daily lives can return to normal depends on how well the spread of COVID-19 is contained by then. If additional confirmed cases decrease and schools reopen, life will quickly return to the ordinary routine. However, if student infections increase again, it will be difficult to even estimate what measures should be taken next.

The damage caused by COVID-19 is already being felt by the entire nation. Everyone is going through a precarious time?confirmed patients unknowingly infected, those in self-quarantine who might be infected, hardworking medical staff and quarantine authorities, as well as self-employed and non-regular workers hit hard economically. At the very end of this, in such an emergency, are marginalized groups who have no capacity to ask for help.

At least elderly living alone or disabled people at home can receive care services from the government or welfare organizations. A Seoul city official stated, "In the case of homeless people, many free meal centers and shelters have temporarily suspended operations or are unable to accept new residents carelessly," adding, "Most of them are in poor health or hygiene conditions, making them more vulnerable to infectious diseases." This is why quarantine for these groups is more urgent and essential.

Therefore, we must listen to calls for 'social solidarity' as much as social distancing between individuals. Protecting oneself from COVID-19 ultimately ensures the safety of one's family and local community, and in this shared understanding, we should narrow the 'emotional distance' even more. Whether the situation stabilizes or the crisis prolongs, we must be able to maintain social solidarity that cares for and supports marginalized vulnerable groups.

/ Jo In-kyung, Deputy Head of Social Affairs Department ikjo@

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