Jungnang-gu, Production and Stable Supply of National Safety Masks

On the 13th, the Development Council for the Fashion Sewing Industry of 9 Autonomous Districts in the Northeast met with 9 district mayors and representatives of local sewing cooperatives to agree on the production and distribution of 국민안심 Mask... Cooperation with local sewing companies for 'mass production and supply of masks' expected to somewhat meet mask demand

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Nearly two months have passed since the outbreak of COVID-19, but the end of the pandemic remains uncertain as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a pandemic, the highest level of infectious disease alert.

The mask shortage caused by COVID-19 continues despite stabilization measures such as the five-day rotation system for public masks.

Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) has made a new attempt to alleviate COVID-19 anxiety and revitalize the local economy through a stable supply of masks.

To prevent a shortage of medical masks, the district decided to produce cloth masks and provide them to residents in need, such as low-income groups. The National Safety Mask is designed with an electrostatic filter inserted between the outer and inner fabric layers, including four filters per mask. It has passed the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety certification standards, ensuring its safety.

The COVID-19 response cloth masks are produced by the Jungnang-gu Sewing Industry Cooperative. The district plans to purchase at least 100,000 masks in March from the cooperative, which is expected to revitalize the sewing industry, severely impacted by COVID-19. The washable cloth masks are environmentally friendly as they reduce waste compared to disposable masks.

To ensure the successful implementation of the project, on the 13th, the Northeast Seoul District Fashion Sewing Industry Development Council (Chairman Ryu Kyung-gi) hosted a meeting attended by the mayors of nine northeastern districts (Jungnang, Jongno, Jung-gu, Seongdong, Gwangjin, Dongdaemun, Seongbuk, Gangbuk, Dobong), representatives of local sewing cooperatives, officials from Seoul City and the Small Business Research Institute, and members of the National Safety Mask Production Council, totaling 25 participants. They discussed and agreed on the 'National Safety Mask Production and Public Purchase' plan.

During the meeting, in-depth discussions were held on the performance and safety of cloth masks, usage targets, and purchase quantities to mass-produce and promptly supply National Safety Masks (electrostatic filter cloth masks) with KF80-level performance as alternatives to medical masks.

Additionally, on the 17th, a briefing related to 'National Safety Mask Production and Public Purchase' was held online on the YouTube channel 'Live Seoul' with the participation of the mayors of the nine northeastern districts (Jungnang, Jongno, Jung-gu, Seongdong, Gwangjin, Dongdaemun, Seongbuk, Gangbuk, Dobong).

The Northeast Seoul District Fashion Sewing Industry Development Council was established in May 2017 to promote the fashion sewing industry. It consists of the mayors of the nine northeastern districts, officials from Seoul City's Economic Policy Office, the Small Business Research Institute, and others, actively working together. The council has achieved results such as 'improving the disposal methods of sewing fabric waste,' 'improving working environments for small sewing businesses,' and 'eradicating violations of the origin labeling law' to develop Seoul's sewing industry.

Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi of Jungnang-gu stated, "We will take the lead in protecting residents' health and minimizing anxiety by resolving difficulties in mask supply and supporting small sewing businesses through product diversification. Using washable masks also contributes to environmental protection."

In Jungnang-gu, 73% of manufacturing is in the fashion sewing industry, with 2,620 sewing companies and about 13,200 workers, the highest among Seoul's 25 districts.

To revitalize the fashion sewing industry, the district designated about 290,000㎡ in the areas of Myeonmok 2-dong and Sangbong 2-dong, where workplaces are concentrated, as the Myeonmok Fashion (Sewing) Specific Development Promotion District in 2016.

Last year, the district established a fashion sewing team within the Corporate Support Division of Jungnang-gu Office and is actively promoting projects such as building the Smart Anchor, establishing regional fashion support centers and apartment-style factories, and improving the working environment of fashion sewing workplaces.