Prime Minister Jeong: "Social Consensus Must Be Secured for Step 3 Elevation...Decisive Action if Necessary" (Update)

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-kyun

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on the 18th regarding the plan to raise social distancing to level 3, "Without public response and participation, social distancing itself is an empty measure, so a sufficient social consensus must be secured," adding, "We will prepare meticulously but make bold decisions at the point when it is deemed necessary."

At the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting held at Seoul City Hall on the same day to respond to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), Prime Minister Chung stated, "The average daily number of confirmed cases exceeded 900 in the past week, and social interest in whether to raise to level 3 nationwide is intense."

He explained, "First, we are focusing all administrative efforts on properly implementing the current distancing level as an urgent task to increase social compliance," and added, "Since a swift decision to raise to level 3 may be necessary depending on the situation, we are broadly collecting opinions from related ministries, local governments, and experts."

He continued, "If social distancing is raised to level 3, about 2 million business establishments and facilities will be closed or have their operations restricted," emphasizing, "A sufficient social consensus must also be secured."

Prime Minister Chung pointed out, "There are increasing attempts to evade the government's quarantine network by formally changing business types and continuing operations in a disguised manner," and said, "In a situation where the entire nation is enduring inconvenience and striving for quarantine due to COVID-19, such behavior can never be tolerated."

He urged, "I hope the quarantine authorities and each local government strictly apply the law to thoroughly block illegal acts that exploit gaps in quarantine," and requested, "As intended by precision quarantine, please thoroughly devise measures for blind spots in quarantine such as free business sectors by grasping the actual situation on site."

Regarding the avian influenza (AI), which is spreading rapidly recently, Prime Minister Chung instructed, "The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Environment, and each local government should maintain vigilance, inspect the on-site quarantine situation daily, and immediately improve any deficiencies," and added, "Especially, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs should closely consult with local governments that are well aware of the on-site situation to devise proactive and aggressive blocking measures."

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