[Full Text] Prime Minister Kim "Earnestly Requesting Refraining from Visiting Hometowns This Lunar New Year as Well"

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seonhee] Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said on the 24th, "I earnestly ask everyone to refrain from visiting their hometowns this Lunar New Year for the safety and health of all."

On the afternoon of the same day, Prime Minister Kim held a 'Special National Address on Lunar New Year Holiday Quarantine' at the Government Seoul Office and appealed, "If many people actively move between regions and meet each other during this Lunar New Year holiday, it is no different from pouring oil on a blazing fire."

He also urged, "If you or your elderly parents have not completed the third vaccination, please avoid visiting your hometown," and added, "If you must visit your hometown inevitably, please complete the third vaccination before the Lunar New Year holiday begins."

Below is the full text of Prime Minister Kim's national address.

[Special National Address on Lunar New Year Holiday Quarantine]

Dear fellow citizens,

I am Kim Boo-kyum, Prime Minister and Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for COVID-19.

The five-day Lunar New Year holiday begins this weekend.

It is a traditional national holiday where beloved family and relatives gather to share affection.

Due to COVID-19, it has already been two full years since we could not celebrate the holiday properly.

The government has repeatedly asked you to share your hearts from afar, saying "just this once," "at least this time."

However, every holiday, we have directly experienced how nationwide movement and meetings can worsen the COVID-19 situation.

We sincerely apologize, but once again, for the safety and health of all, we earnestly ask you to refrain from visiting your hometown this Lunar New Year.

Dear citizens,

Since last weekend, the Omicron variant has become the dominant strain in our country.

Despite it being the weekend, the number of confirmed cases has not decreased but rather increased.

Countries that experienced Omicron earlier than us clearly show a tendency for cases to surge once the proportion exceeds 60%.

If many people actively move between regions and meet each other during this Lunar New Year holiday, it is no different from pouring oil on a blazing fire.

We vividly remember that last Chuseok, the number of confirmed cases surged by 38% immediately after the holiday ended.

In neighboring Japan, as well as in the United States and several European countries, confirmed cases have surged up to 200 times within about a month, with Omicron raging to break record highs daily.

Omicron has a somewhat lower severity rate compared to the Delta variant,

but its transmissibility is two to three times higher.

Even if the risk is lower, a rapid surge in cases within a short time will cause serious overload in medical facilities.

The government has anticipated the severity of Omicron and has been steadily preparing.

We have sufficiently expanded hospital beds, increased the third-dose vaccination rate, and hastened the introduction of oral antiviral treatments.

To prepare for the 'social essential function paralysis' already occurring overseas,

we are establishing response plans for each sector including medical care, education, transportation, firefighting, and police.

We will also expedite the transition of quarantine and medical response systems to fit the current situation.

Local clinics and hospitals should overcome excessive fear and play a central role in COVID-19 testing and treatment.

We ask for active cooperation from the medical community, including local doctors.

The key to responding to Omicron is managing the speed of increase in confirmed cases.

If cases increase gradually, even with some difficulties, we can manage as planned.

However, if cases surge rapidly in a short period, significant confusion and damage during the response process will be inevitable.

That said, there is no need to be overwhelmed by excessive anxiety.

We must look at reality calmly, clarify our course of action, and execute meticulously.

Dear citizens,

Only by spending this Lunar New Year holiday safely can we secure the upper hand in the fight against Omicron.

To this end, I ask three things of you.

First, please refrain from visiting your hometown and spend the holiday quietly at home.

Especially, if you or your elderly parents have not completed the third vaccination, please avoid visiting your hometown for their sake.

Visits and contact at nursing hospitals and care facilities will be prohibited during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Second, if you must visit your hometown inevitably, please complete the third vaccination before the holiday begins.

Also, be sure to get tested before departure.

Avoid using crowded public transportation, and spend the minimum time possible at rest stops.

When visiting parents and relatives in your hometown, keep gatherings small and brief, and strictly follow basic quarantine rules such as wearing masks and washing hands.

From now on, we strongly recommend wearing masks rated KF-80 or higher.

If you have any suspicion on your way home, please visit a nearby testing site.

The government will add nine temporary screening clinics at highway rest stops and continue operating call centers and screening clinics during the holiday.

Third, after returning home, please refrain from visiting crowded places and be sure to get tested before returning to daily life.

Dear citizens,

Looking back, we have endured a very long time well.

Thanks to the sacrifice and dedication of medical staff and the participation and cooperation of all citizens,

we have managed this exhausting fight over two full years.

The praise of being a 'model country in quarantine' recognized worldwide

belongs entirely to you, the citizens.

Thank you once again.

However, although we have done relatively well compared to other countries,

the scars COVID-19 has left on our community are not small.

Students deprived of precious study time and socializing with peers,

countless small business owners and self-employed people whose livelihoods are threatened daily,

and marginalized groups suffering from social disconnection with nowhere to turn for help,

pain that is hard to recover from is accumulating throughout our society.

How can lost time and opportunities be sufficiently compensated or recovered through online classes, loss compensation, or disaster relief funds?

Let us once again unite with the spirit of 'solidarity and cooperation' to face Omicron.

Refraining from hometown visits, following quarantine rules, spending a quiet holiday, and participating in vaccination

are extremely important for protecting ourselves now.

I earnestly ask you once again to spend a calm and quiet Lunar New Year holiday

so that this meaningful holiday does not threaten you, your family, or our community.

Thank you.