청 비서실장 "Condition Improving but Cannot Lower Guard Against Omicron"

Cheongwadae Bed Expansion TF 2nd Meeting... Emphasizing Efficient Bed Use, Urging Clarification of 'Transfer' Misunderstanding

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] Yoo Young-min, Chief Secretary to the President at the Blue House, stated on the 31st at the '2nd Task Force Meeting on Expanding Hospital Beds' held at the Blue House Seobyeolgwan, "Fortunately, the hospital bed situation has recently improved, but due to the impact of Omicron, the number of confirmed cases is expected to increase significantly, so we cannot lower our guard."

Yoo said, "Let's accelerate efforts to expand hospital beds in advance and with ample margin so that the previous trial and error is not repeated."

At the meeting, the Blue House's Chief of Policy Office and Senior Secretary for Social Affairs attended. From government ministries, the Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Minister of Health and Welfare, Minister of National Defense, Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, and 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance participated. From the private sector, the President of Seoul National University Hospital attended.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Yoo said, "No matter how many hospital beds are expanded, if they are not used efficiently, it is like pouring water into a bottomless jar," and urged, "Please reduce unnecessary intensive care unit treatments and use hospital beds efficiently."

Yoo also mentioned, "There are many misunderstandings and complaints regarding the transfer orders for severe cases and patient transfers due to the designation of dedicated hospitals," and requested, "Please actively explain to the public to resolve these misunderstandings."

Meanwhile, the Blue House announced that out of the 2,255 hospital beds the government promised to additionally expand by the end of December, 2,238 beds, or 99.2%, have been expanded.

Shin Hye-hyun, Deputy Spokesperson of the Blue House, said, "In particular, 691 severe and semi-severe beds were secured, exceeding the target by more than three times, and while prioritizing securing severe and semi-severe beds, 1,547 moderate beds were expanded."

Deputy Spokesperson Shin explained, "The achievement of the year-end hospital bed expansion target within a short period of just over ten days after President Moon Jae-in's special directive was the result of active collaboration centered on the Ministry of Health and Welfare, related ministries, national university hospitals, and public hospitals."

Kim Yeon-su, President of Seoul National University Hospital, said, "The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport responded quickly to the requests from national university hospitals," and Yoo urged, "When improving systems such as revising laws, please seek opinions from the field again on the details and reflect them concretely."

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