Prime Minister Jeong: "No Permission for Hangul Day Rally... Request Immediate Suspension" (Update)

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-kyun

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun stated on the 4th, "Some groups are planning rallies for the upcoming Hangeul Day, but the government will not permit them in order to protect the lives and safety of the people," adding, "We urge groups preparing for rallies to immediately stop any attempts at illegal assemblies for the safety of the community."

At the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting held at the Government Seoul Office on the same day to respond to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), Prime Minister Chung said, "Since the special quarantine period still has a week remaining, we must not let our guard down to ensure a definite stabilization."

He also mentioned, "Fortunately, on the day before, which was National Foundation Day, no large-scale rallies took place in downtown Seoul, and some small-scale vehicle rallies ended without major conflicts," expressing gratitude by saying, "Although there were some traffic inconveniences in certain areas, citizens kindly understood."

The police set up 90 checkpoints from the morning of October 3rd, National Foundation Day, to inspect vehicles entering Seoul city, and established dense barricades around Sejong-daero while deploying police forces throughout alleys to block access at the source. The '8·15 Gwanghwamun National Rally Emergency Committee' announced that after their planned relay one-person protest in front of the Yi Sun-sin statue was canceled, they intend to file lawsuits if their rallies on the 9th and 10th are reported and prohibited.

Prime Minister Chung also stated, "As of this morning, compared to last year, the average daily number of accidents has decreased by about 25%, and the number of deaths has dropped by 40%, indicating that the Chuseok holiday was generally safe and quiet," adding, "I deeply thank the citizens who responded to the government's requests and extend my encouragement to public officials such as police and firefighters who worked hard on the front lines."

He continued, "During this holiday period, the average daily number of confirmed COVID-19 cases domestically was 62," and added, "The situation is improving more than expected thanks to many citizens refraining from travel and adhering well to quarantine rules."

However, he cautioned, "It is not yet a stage to be complacent," and warned, "Considering the maximum incubation period of COVID-19 is 14 days, there is a possibility that quiet transmission occurred during the holiday, leading to an increase in confirmed cases again."

He further said, "It is also concerning that sporadic infections continue in hospitals and nursing facilities, especially centered in the metropolitan area and Busan."

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