Lee Jae-myung "Proactive Elevation of Social Distancing to Level 3 in the Seoul Metropolitan Area"... Prime Minister Jeong Orders "Consultation with Experts"

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is attending the Emergency Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCHQ) meeting for COVID-19 response held at the Government Seoul Office Building on the afternoon of the 12th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun instructed on the 12th to gather expert opinions regarding the elevation of social distancing to Level 3 in the Seoul metropolitan area.

On the same day, Prime Minister Chung presided over an emergency quarantine countermeasure meeting at the Government Seoul Office. At the meeting, when Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung proposed that "it is necessary to proactively raise the social distancing level in the metropolitan area to Level 3," Prime Minister Chung instructed the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) and the Central Accident Response Headquarters (CARH) to collect opinions from local governments and private experts.

In his opening remarks at the meeting, Prime Minister Chung said, "If we fail to curb the current spread, raising the social distancing to Level 3 will become inevitable." As of midnight that day, the number of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 reached 950, marking the highest since the outbreak began in South Korea.

Additionally, Prime Minister Chung ordered full efforts to secure residential treatment centers and hospital beds. The government has currently secured more than 1,000 hospital beds and residential treatment centers capable of accommodating about 1,000 people. Tomorrow (the 13th), at the CDSCH meeting chaired by Prime Minister Chung, a detailed plan for securing hospital beds and residential treatment centers will be finalized and announced.

Prime Minister Chung decided to preside over the CDSCH meetings daily, instead of three times a week, to directly oversee quarantine and hospital bed situations. He also urged, "If quarantine fails, livelihoods will inevitably be threatened as well," and requested, "Please refrain from gatherings and meetings as much as possible with the mindset of 'I will take the lead in fighting COVID-19,' and strictly follow personal quarantine rules such as wearing masks."