Party and Government Discuss Lunar New Year Livelihood Measures... "Creating a Safety-Friendly Holiday Atmosphere" (Comprehensive)

On the 20th, Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader, Hong Nam-ki, Deputy Prime Minister for Economy, and Kim Sang-jo, Chief of the Presidential Office Policy Office, along with other key attendees at the high-level party-government meeting held at the National Assembly, are taking a commemorative photo before the start of the meeting. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] On the morning of the 20th, the Democratic Party of Korea, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Blue House held a high-level party-government meeting and agreed to focus on creating a safe and friendly Lunar New Year holiday atmosphere that can restore vitality during the holiday while maintaining quarantine measures.

Choi In-ho, the senior spokesperson of the Democratic Party, said in a briefing after the high-level party-government meeting, “The party and government agree that since the COVID-19 resurgence is still a situation that cannot be assured, the top priority should be placed on quarantine and creating a safe and friendly Lunar New Year holiday atmosphere,” adding, “We also shared the opinion that policy efforts should be concentrated so that the people exhausted by COVID-19 can recover their vitality during the Lunar New Year holiday.”

As with last Chuseok, the party and government decided to carry out a non-face-to-face Lunar New Year holiday campaign to minimize movement during the holiday period. At the same time, they ensured that the quarantine system can be maintained during the holiday by operating screening clinics and infectious disease-dedicated hospitals on a regular basis.

Furthermore, to reduce the burden of prices on ordinary citizens during the holiday, they decided to focus on supplying 16 essential items before the holiday and to expand the issuance scale of local love gift certificates from 4 trillion won to 4.5 trillion won in the first quarter to alleviate difficulties faced by traditional markets.

During the holiday period, the allowable gift amount under the Anti-Graft Act for agricultural and marine products will be raised from 100,000 won to 200,000 won.

They will also conduct a donation participation campaign for the Lunar New Year and promote a plan to temporarily increase the tax credit rate for donations in 2021.

Lee Nak-yeon, the leader of the Democratic Party, emphasized in his opening remarks, “I hope the gift-sending campaign that was done during Chuseok will spread again this time and warmth will be transmitted to the local small businesses,” but also stressed, “It is very urgent to block the spread of COVID-19 and avian influenza during the Lunar New Year holiday.”

Kim Tae-nyeon, the floor leader, also expressed concerns about quarantine issues that may arise from holiday homecomings. Kim said, “The Lunar New Year holiday, when nationwide large-scale movement is expected, is the last hurdle to stabilize the third wave of COVID-19,” and added, “We must make thorough quarantine measures for the Lunar New Year holiday until vaccination is fully underway.”

Hong Nam-ki, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, said, “The government has prepared measures with an urgent mindset to provide stepping stones for livelihood stabilization and pillars for economic recovery to the people exhausted by COVID-19.” Hong stated that the measures focus on four key points: ▲ prioritizing quarantine-friendly public safety response ▲ supporting livelihood stabilization for ordinary citizens such as emergency relief funds for the Lunar New Year ▲ early payment of earned income tax credits before the holiday to expand economic recovery and household income base ▲ and job and financial package support.

In detail, he announced plans to provide briquette coupons for vulnerable groups and to promote job and financial package support. The measures also include setting up 620 screening clinics during the Lunar New Year holiday for quarantine purposes. He emphasized that public institutions will execute pre-purchase contracts for key essential items to prepare for holiday prices.

The measures gathered at the party-government-Blue House meeting will be further discussed at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters COVID-19 meeting and then finalized for announcement.