Prime Minister Kim: "All Cheonghae Unit Members Returned... Apologize for Not Ensuring Soldiers' Health"

COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum (left) is speaking while presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on COVID-19 response at the Government Complex Sejong in Sejong City on the morning of the 20th. July 20, 2021. Photo by Yonhap News

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seon-hee] Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum apologized on the 20th, saying, "All 301 troops of the Cheonghae Unit are scheduled to return home this evening," and "I am deeply sorry for not being able to carefully take care of the health of our troops who dedicate themselves to the country."

On the same day, Prime Minister Kim presided over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting on COVID-19 at the Government Complex Sejong in the morning and said, "The Ministry of National Defense should do its best to treat and help recover the troops returning during their mission, and thoroughly implement follow-up measures to prevent any mission gaps due to sudden rotation."

Among the 301 crew members of the 34th Cheonghae Unit's Munmu the Great ship, a total of 247 (82.1%) have been confirmed positive so far. They will all return home this afternoon via Seongnam Seoul Airport.

Although the government has raised the social distancing level in the metropolitan area to the highest level, Level 4, and restricted private gatherings to up to 4 people in non-metropolitan areas as part of high-intensity measures, the daily number of COVID-19 confirmed cases continues to record over 1,000. Prime Minister Kim expressed concern, saying, "Despite the holiday season and school vacations, the amount of movement has not significantly decreased, and the severe situation continues," and "The spread in non-metropolitan areas is increasing, and the nationwide infection reproduction number has also risen compared to before."

He added, "If we do not firmly break the chain of infection here, COVID-19 will enter the path of spread once again," and earnestly appealed to the public, "I sincerely ask all citizens to practice social distancing and strictly comply with quarantine rules once again." Furthermore, he urged, "Related ministries and local governments should make every effort to ensure that the strengthened quarantine measures are implemented without exception on the ground," and ordered, "The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters should review in advance how to adjust social distancing in the metropolitan area going forward."

Meanwhile, with a heatwave forecast for this week, Prime Minister Kim said, "Each ministry and local government should prioritize checking the working conditions and environment of field quarantine personnel and actively support necessary supplies such as cooling equipment," and added, "I also ask the public to send their support and encouragement to the field personnel and quarantine workers who are fighting hard even in the heat."

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