[Full Text] Prime Minister Jeong Urges "Refrain from Various Year-End Gatherings... Companies Should Also Join Workplace Quarantine Efforts"

Public Address to the Nation on COVID-19 Response

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-kyun

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Prime Minister Jeong Sye-kyun appealed to the public on the 20th through a national address to refrain from various year-end gatherings as much as possible. He especially urged those aged 60 and above to pay attention to their health during the winter and minimize unnecessary outings and meetings. He also requested office workers to postpone or cancel year-end parties and company dinners, and asked companies to participate in workplace quarantine efforts through measures such as telecommuting.

The following is the full text of Prime Minister Jeong's national address.

Dear fellow citizens,

This is Jeong Sye-kyun, Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.

Recently, the spread of COVID-19 has intensified,

and once again, K-quarantine is facing a crisis.

As the new social distancing system took its first steps,

the number of confirmed cases has been in the triple digits daily,

and just three days ago, it entered the 300s.

The current rate of spread is very fast, comparable to the crisis situation in Daegu and Gyeongbuk last February.

Especially, simultaneous outbreaks are occurring in various daily life settings such as family gatherings, social activities, swimming pools, saunas, schools, and workplaces, making the situation more serious.

Even mountain villages, which had almost no confirmed cases until now, are experiencing cluster infections,

increasing anxiety that there is no safe place anywhere in the country.

Since yesterday, the government has

raised social distancing to level 1.5 in the metropolitan area and some parts of Gangwon Province.

More local governments are voluntarily raising their levels.

If we fail to reverse the current spread,

our daily lives, which had somewhat eased,

will be restricted again.

Self-employed people and small business owners, who have lived with worries throughout the year,

will face great difficulties once again.

Dear citizens,

Our collective action is more important than ever.

First, please refrain from various gatherings planned for the year-end as much as possible,

and stay at home as much as possible except for essential activities.

Especially, those aged 60 and above should

pay attention to health management during winter

and minimize unnecessary outings and meetings.

Office workers are asked to postpone or cancel year-end parties and company dinners,

and companies are requested to participate in workplace quarantine through telecommuting and other measures.

The government and public sector will take the lead.

From next week, all ministries, local governments, and public institutions nationwide will implement strengthened quarantine measures such as refraining from various dinners and gatherings, minimizing face-to-face meetings, and promoting telecommuting.

Cooperation from young people is especially needed.

In the past week, the proportion of confirmed cases under the age of 40 was 52.2%,

an increase of more than 10 percentage points compared to the previous week.

Due to the characteristics of many asymptomatic infections among young people,

it is difficult to control the range and speed of spread.

Please refrain from face-to-face activities except for essential cases such as studies.

With the college entrance exam just two weeks away,

there is great concern among examinees and parents.

The government will do its best to ensure that all examinees can take the exam fairly in a safe environment despite the COVID-19 situation.

All citizens are asked to especially consider and protect our children with the heart of a parent.

The COVID-19 situation overseas is also becoming more serious. Major European countries have begun second lockdowns one after another.

France has imposed a complete ban on going out,

Germany has closed leisure facilities such as restaurants, pubs, and cinemas,

and the UK has suspended operations of shops and restaurants for a month.

We must take the overseas situation as a cautionary example,

strengthen our vigilance against COVID-19,

and all of us must commit ourselves to quarantine with extraordinary resolve.

Especially, as expectations for the COVID-19 vaccine to be released soon grow,

confirmed cases are increasing in several countries.

The anticipation for the vaccine is actually becoming a poison to quarantine efforts.

The government is making every effort to secure the necessary amount of vaccines on time.

We will transparently disclose the process and details to the public as long as it does not harm national interests.

It will take considerable time before vaccines are actually administered to the public.

Until then, strict compliance with quarantine rules such as wearing masks is the only preventive measure,

and we must never forget this even for a moment.

Since yesterday, the criteria for COVID-19 diagnostic testing have been greatly relaxed, allowing free testing based on suspected symptoms alone.

Citizens who experience symptoms such as fever or respiratory issues suspected of COVID-19

should not hesitate and get tested promptly.

It is important to block the possibility of transmission to family or acquaintances through rapid testing.

Recently, the German government has been urging people to refrain from going out through a public service advertisement saying, "You who stay at home are the real heroes."

Our current situation is no different.

Citizens are asked to become their own quarantine commanders,

and thoroughly practice quarantine rules such as wearing masks and social distancing.

I am confident that this crisis can be overcome

through the active cooperation and participation of all citizens.

Thank you.

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