[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, recently responded to calls for tougher penalties amid the rise in COVID-19 cases by stating that "the current penalties are already harsh" and pledged to strictly enforce existing penalties.
He also predicted that the ongoing medical industry strike would not have a significant negative impact on the spread of COVID-19.
At an online emergency press conference held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government on the 14th, Governor Lee said, "There are opinions that penalties should be strengthened as COVID-19 cases have surged again," and emphasized, "Imposing a fine of 3 million won on violators and exercising the right to claim compensation for all costs is already harsh. Without exception, we will pursue claims for compensation and punishment according to the law for violations."
He further assessed, "Since COVID-19 quarantine measures are mainly carried out in the public sector, the ongoing medical strike is unlikely to have a significant impact on COVID-19."
He added, "If there are large-scale gatherings in the province, we will monitor the situation and take appropriate measures if necessary."
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