Patient 12 Feared to Be a 'Super Spreader'... Bucheon and Gangneung Cable TV Disaster Alerts Expanded

Gyeonggi Bucheon and Gangwon Gangneung Switch to Emergency Alert System
Detailed Report on Movement of 12th Confirmed Chinese Male Case
Emergency Subtitles in Chinese and English... Fact-Checking via YouTube and SNS
Increased Emergency Programming to Prevent Regional Disaster Concerns

Foreign tourists visiting Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul on the 3rd amid the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus infection are wearing masks. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] As the 12th confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) (a 49-year-old Chinese male) was confirmed to have visited Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, and Gangneung, Gangwon Province, LG HelloVision, which operates cable TV in these areas, has entered an emergency disaster broadcasting system.

First, detailed reports on the confirmed patient's movements within the region are being provided, and fact-check broadcasts are being aired on the YouTube channel to prevent the spread of rumors on social media. Considering that the 12th confirmed patient was Chinese, urgent news and prevention guidelines are also provided with Chinese and English subtitles. The aim is to reduce the risk of secondary infections among local residents and prevent the situation from escalating into a regional disaster.

On the 4th, LG HelloVision announced that its local channel 25 has entered an emergency disaster broadcasting system following the occurrence of a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus within its coverage area.

Local channel 25 has switched to an emergency special report system for Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, where the confirmed case occurred, and Gangneung, Gangwon Province, which the confirmed patient visited. Through special reports, detailed information on the confirmed patient's travel routes, closures, and disinfection status is being broadcast. Since last week, the scheduling of local news has also been increased. The local news, which airs twice daily, has been extended to 30 minutes each, and expanded programming includes regional situations, expert discussions, and infection response guidelines. An LG HelloVision official explained, "We will strive to quickly and accurately deliver the status of the infectious disease to alleviate the anxiety of local residents."

Local channel 25 provides contact information for the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call center at 1339, as well as local public health centers and key hospitals, in the lower subtitles. Additionally, urgent news and prevention guidelines are continuously provided to foreign residents through English and Chinese subtitles. Other channels such as YouTube are also being utilized.

On LG HelloVision's YouTube and Facebook channels, fact-checks related to infectious diseases, including Q&A sessions with infectious disease specialists, are conducted regularly. Since rumors are spreading within the community through social media, the goal is to prevent confusion in the local society through accurate reporting of facts. Depending on the extent of the infectious disease spread, the emergency system level will be gradually raised to strengthen disaster broadcasting.

Yoon Kyung-min, head of LG HelloVision's news department, stated, "We are closely cooperating with the local community to respond so that the novel coronavirus does not expand into a regional disaster," and added, "We will work to prevent the spread and confusion of infectious diseases in the community through rapid and accurate information delivery via local channels."