Wando-gun Appeals for Everyone to Pause Together During Chuseok Holiday

Refrain from Visiting Hometowns, Strong Recommendation for PCR Tests Before and After Returning Home

Promotion of Grave Mowing Services and Township Leaders Checking on Parents' Well-being

Wando County Governor Shin Woo-cheol is conducting a COVID-19 social distancing campaign. / Photo by Asia Economy

[Wando＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyungpil] Recently, more than 90% of confirmed cases have been identified as the Delta variant, which has high transmissibility and rapid spread, raising significant concerns that the upcoming Chuseok holiday population movement could act as a catalyst for further spread.

Accordingly, Wando County (Governor Shin Woo-cheol) will proactively respond to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by launching a "Stop Together Campaign" for residents and hometown visitors, urging them to refrain from traveling to and from their hometowns for one month starting next month on the 1st.

According to the county on the 31st, the four main areas of the "Stop Together Campaign" include spreading participation awareness, providing administrative service support to enhance resident and hometown visitor participation, implementing efficient and effective special quarantine measures, and promoting the consumption of local specialties to revitalize the regional economy.

In particular, the "Love Call Center" will operate from the 1st to the 17th of next month, where hometown visitors who do not visit their hometowns can apply to their towns or townships to have the town or township head visit their parents on their behalf, check on their well-being, and assist in video calls with their children.

The grave mowing proxy service, first implemented nationwide during last Chuseok, has extended its application deadline from August 31 to September 7.

Additionally, from the 17th to the 22nd of next month, a "Hometown Visitor Reporting System" will be operated, where visitors can call the safe call number of their town or township to certify their visit. Village-led "Village Keeper Quarantine Volunteer Groups" will be formed to manage and monitor the lists of visitors and promote quarantine guidelines.

To minimize contact between residents and outsiders, designated safe restaurants will separate tables, and special joint crackdowns with the police will target areas vulnerable to quarantine rule violations such as outdoor drinking. A quarantine security monitoring system will also be operated at major tourist sites.

The county shopping mall "Wando-gun e-Shop" will promote events such as free shipping and discounts, and marketing to promote the consumption of local specialties will be conducted by supporting logistics costs for large retailers such as Lotte Mart, Market Kurly, Coupang, and Homeplus.

Governor Shin Woo-cheol stated, "Most of our county's confirmed cases have been due to contact with outsiders visiting from other regions," adding, "Although it is regrettable not to meet family during the Chuseok holiday, I earnestly ask everyone to participate in refraining from traveling to and from hometowns and to comply with quarantine rules to protect everyone's safety."

Wando＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyungpil ckp6737@asiae.co.kr

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