Social Distancing Enters 'Level 2.5' at Cheong Wa Dae... Full Prevention Efforts Including Expanded Distributed Work

President Moon Instructs "Cheong Wa Dae Must Lead by Example"
Reducing Office Density by Expanding Distributed and Rotational Work
Stage 3 Raises Economic Shock Concerns... Reserved as Last Resort

President Moon Jae-in is presiding over a senior secretaries and aides meeting at the Blue House on the afternoon of the 24th.
Amid growing concerns over a second wave of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), fewer participants than usual attended the meeting, sitting apart with glass partitions between them.

As the government decided to extend the social distancing level 2 measures in the Seoul metropolitan area for another week, the Blue House has already entered an all-out quarantine battle close to 'level 2.5 distancing' by minimizing meeting attendees and expanding remote and distributed work.

On the 28th, amid the renewed threat of COVID-19, the Blue House is focusing first on reducing office density through distributed and remote work, following President Moon Jae-in's directive that "the Blue House must lead by example."

In particular, due to practical security concerns with remote work, distributed work is being maximized. A Blue House official stated that they have established an environment where employees can work in rotation and distributed shifts by optimizing office space within the Blue House and preparing new work locations.

The Office of National Affairs and the Office of Social Policy Secretary, centered around political, civil, economic, and public communication secretariats, are also engaged in nighttime emergency responses.

Major meetings are being held under strict distancing and quarantine measures. For example, the President-Senior Secretary meeting on the 24th was conducted with plastic transparent partitions installed and with a minimized number of attendees. Additionally, all senior secretaries and above were able to watch the Senior Secretary meeting via an internal real-time video streaming system.

The staff meeting presided over by President Moon was also held in the Yeomin 3 building's small conference room, with plastic transparent partitions between attendees who wore masks. Blue House spokesperson Kang Min-seok said, "From now on, Blue House workers will wear masks at all times, not only when commuting but also while working in the office."

Although there are widespread calls from various sectors to raise social distancing to level 3 due to the resurgence of COVID-19, the Blue House is showing great caution because level 3 measures could cause severe economic shocks.

President Moon said, "Raising to level 3 is not a choice to be made lightly," adding, "Daily life would come to a halt, jobs would collapse, and we would have to endure truly enormous economic damage."

At the situation briefing on the 24th, President Moon stated, "If we fail to contain COVID-19 at this stage, social distancing will inevitably have to be raised to level 3," but emphasized the need for a national response to avoid reaching level 3.

A key Blue House official also reiterated to reporters, "The President's remarks focus on 'preventing the situation from escalating to level 3.'"

The government plans to keep raising to level 3 as a last resort and aims to stop the spread of the infectious disease at level 2.5. Along with extending the level 2 distancing measures, which are set to end on the 30th, for another week, the government will strengthen quarantine measures by restricting operating hours of multi-use facilities such as cafes, restaurants, and PC rooms.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun explained the background of this decision at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting, saying, "Considering the economic and social ripple effects, social distancing level 3 is the last card we can choose."

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