[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seon-hee] Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum will deliver a national address on the COVID-19 quarantine situation on the afternoon of the 24th. As of this date, it has been confirmed that the weekly detection rate of domestic Omicron variant infections has surpassed 50%, making it the dominant strain of COVID-19, and he is expected to appeal for related quarantine measures and public cooperation.
According to the Office for Government Policy Coordination on the same day, Prime Minister Kim is scheduled to announce the "National Address on COVID-19 Quarantine" at 2 p.m. at the Government Seoul Office Building. Minister Jeon Hae-cheol of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Minister Kwon Deok-cheol of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Director Jung Eun-kyung of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency will be present.
Recently, the number of new COVID-19 cases has been recording in the 7,000s daily. Experts warn that due to the fast transmission characteristics of the Omicron virus, the number of confirmed cases may increase more sharply in the future.
In response, the government is attempting to reform the quarantine system focusing on "speed" and "efficiency," but since the Lunar New Year holiday begins this weekend and nationwide movement is expected to increase, there are concerns that confirmed cases could surge rapidly.
Therefore, in his address, Prime Minister Kim is expected to urge restraint in travel during the Lunar New Year holiday and request proactive COVID-19 testing.
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