With Social Distancing Level 4 Extended, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy Urges "Urgent Immediate Support Measures"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] As the government decided to extend the Level 4 social distancing measures in the Seoul metropolitan area for two more weeks, the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy demanded the prompt establishment of support measures for self-employed workers.

On the 23rd, the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy stated in a commentary that discussions on effective and sufficient support measures for the equitable burden of social disasters have been sluggish, adding, "Since countless self-employed workers are facing the risk of closure, immediate support measures are urgent."

They continued, "Due to the economic recession and quarantine measures such as gathering bans, self-employed workers and small business owners have long been pushed to the brink," urging, "Comprehensive measures are needed, including support for fixed costs such as rent, which is the greatest burden and pain, as well as emergency loans for this purpose."

The People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy also said, "Several revision bills aiming for landlords and the government to share the economic pain caused by rent burdens have been proposed in the National Assembly, but even the review of these bills is not being properly conducted."

Self-employed organizations, including the National Council of Self-Employed Associations, also emphasized, "The announcement of the extension of social distancing has once again caused frustration and fatal damage to self-employed workers who are already at their limits," and stressed, "The National Assembly and government must prepare predictable compensation for losses."

They added, "The quarantine standards based on confirmed cases should be reorganized to focus on fatality rates, and quarantine should shift to a management-centered approach," and "We need to consider survival methods where society shares the burdens of self-employed workers' rent and loan delinquencies together."

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