Prime Minister Jeong: "Late April Golden Holiday is a Critical Time for 'Social Distancing'... Please Refrain from Outdoor Activities"

Campaign Expressing Gratitude and Respect for Medical Staff Launched... Badges Also Produced and Distributed

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-kyun

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun earnestly requested on the 18th, "For the safety of the community, please refrain from outdoor activities during the holidays as much as possible. If you had travel plans, I ask you to reconsider them once again."

On the same day, Prime Minister Chung presided over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting for the response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) held at the Government Seoul Office and said, "From the end of April to early May, the so-called golden holiday is scheduled, and although circumstances vary by business, it seems possible to take up to six consecutive days off."

Prime Minister Chung expressed concern, saying, "I worry that this might become a critical moment for social distancing. If people's movement and contact increase significantly amid the risk of asymptomatic infection, we may have to pay a harsh price. It might even become difficult for our children to attend school for the first semester."

He also mentioned preparing for the shortage of rural labor during the rice planting season. Prime Minister Chung explained, "I am very concerned about the shortage of labor in rural areas due to the impact of COVID-19. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has decided to additionally establish Rural Labor Brokerage Centers in regions expected to face labor shortages, and the Ministry of National Defense plans to support with military personnel."

Prime Minister Chung further stated, "The efforts and achievements of the medical staff fighting against COVID-19 are so great that no expression can properly describe them. To express gratitude and respect for the medical staff, we have started the 'Thanks Challenge, #MedicalStaffThanks' campaign. We also created badges symbolizing 'respect' as an award."

He continued, "Anyone can participate in the campaign by wearing the badge or posting the corresponding gesture on their social network service (SNS) accounts. The Ministry of Health and Welfare is instructed to mass-produce the badges and distribute them to the public who wish to support the medical staff."

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