Prime Minister Chung: "Online Classes Begin for Lower Elementary Grades... Meticulous Management of Emergency Childcare Needed"

Prime Minister Jeong Sye Gyun (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy, reporter Lee Kwangho] On April 20, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun stated, "Starting today, online classes will begin for lower-grade elementary school students. Because these younger students are not yet familiar with digital devices and have difficulty concentrating for extended periods, they require careful attention."

Prime Minister Chung made these remarks while presiding over a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) for COVID-19 response, held at the Government Complex Seoul on the same day.

He added, "I expect that the demand for emergency childcare will increase, particularly among dual-income families, grandparent-headed households, and multicultural families. As all elementary, middle, and high school students begin online classes, system connection issues could become a major challenge. I ask the Ministry of Education to meticulously manage emergency childcare to ensure there are no problems, and to continuously address any shortcomings in the system."

Prime Minister Chung continued, "We have decided to extend social distancing until May 5, but will cautiously ease its intensity. By allowing limited outdoor activities and essential qualification exams, we aim to improve convenience in people's daily lives."

He emphasized, "As restrictions are eased, thorough quarantine measures must be implemented to mitigate risks. I urge the relevant ministries to ensure thorough disinfection and safety management for reopened recreational forests, outdoor public facilities, and exams."

He also added, "Please make thorough preparations for everyday social distancing."

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