Ministry of the Interior and Safety Seeks to Prevent COVID-19 Spread with Urgent 'Challenge·Hanguk' Contest

Public Contest Open Until the 1st of Next Month, 10 Million Won Reward for Excellent Solutions

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 21st that it will start the "Challenge Korea Emergency Contest to Explore Measures to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19" from the 22nd to collect the public's free and creative ideas that can help overcome the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) and support the recovery of daily life.

This contest was urgently launched to quickly find creative solutions to prevent the ongoing spread of COVID-19 and to apply excellent solutions to policies in a short time. The contest theme is "Measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 using ICT, digital, 3D printing technology, creative social design, or public participation campaign planning."

To encourage a wide range of diverse and original solutions from the public without limiting to specific fields, the scope of this contest includes not only technologies requiring expertise and completeness but also design or campaign plans that the general public can easily approach.

However, existing or planned measures such as stepwise social distancing, vaccination, proper mask-wearing campaigns, or content that simply imitates overseas cases are excluded from the contest.

The contest will be held for 11 days from the 22nd to February 1st, and anyone interested, including the public, companies, and organizations, can participate. Those who wish to participate can download the application form and idea planning documents from the 'Challenge Korea' bulletin board within Gwanghwamun 1st Street during the period and submit them.

Ideas proposed by the public will be reviewed by the 'Challenge Korea' steering committee, and the best ideas will be selected (scheduled for the end of February) to receive a prize of 10 million won and a commendation (Minister of the Interior and Safety Award).

Lee Jae-young, Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, said, "A step to help overcome COVID-19 and support the recovery of daily life can start from the public's free and creative perspective, even if it is trivial and unconventional," adding, "We ask for much interest and participation in proposing innovative ideas that can reduce the spread of COVID-19."