Baseball Bat and Boxing Gloves Gifted to Yoon... Visits Sejong to Order 'Scientific Quarantine'

President Yoon Seok-yeol performing an uppercut ceremony at the Government Complex Sejong
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] On the 26th, President Yoon Seok-yeol, who visited Sejong to attend the first official Cabinet meeting of the new government, received a baseball bat and boxing gloves as gifts from employees working at the government complex.

After concluding the Cabinet meeting at the Government Complex Sejong in Sejong Special Self-Governing City, President Yoon spent time conversing with the staff. At this occasion, President Yoon said, "If I support you so that you can work joyfully and with conviction, the ship called the Government of the Republic of Korea will achieve great results, and we will be able to host the guests called the people of the Republic of Korea on board safely and enjoyably for a wonderful voyage." He added, "Seeing all of you makes me feel very at ease, and I believe there will be no problems in steering this ship forward."

In particular, President Yoon received a red baseball bat symbolizing "hitting a home run in state affairs" and a pair of red boxing gloves representing "regulatory reform." He even shared one glove with the employee who gifted the boxing gloves and performed the uppercut ceremony, which was his trademark during the presidential campaign. President Yoon shouted, "Regulatory reform!"

President Yoon Seok-yeol swinging a baseball bat received as a gift [Image source=Yonhap News]

Following this, President Yoon visited the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's Emergency Situation Center and urged, "Please promptly establish a scientific quarantine system that the public can trust." This was in preparation for the resurgence of COVID-19 in the fall and winter seasons. President Yoon reiterated the importance of a science-based quarantine system centered on experts and data.

He stated, "There must be no gaps in quarantine measures so that the public does not worry," and added, "We must promptly establish a scientific quarantine system that the public can trust." He also said, "A balanced approach is necessary to protect the lives and health of the people while allowing them to continue economic activities without inconvenience, and scientific quarantine is expected to maintain this balance." The meeting was attended by Baek Kyung-ran, Commissioner of the KDCA, Kim Nam-joong, President of the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases, Professor Jung Jae-hoon of Gachon University, Professor Jung Ki-seok of Hallym University, and Song Manki, Deputy Director of the International Vaccine Institute, among others.

President Yoon then moved to the National Institute of Health’s National Central Human Resources Bank, where he inspected the blood, cell, and DNA storage facilities and checked the progress of the national bio big data construction project. The National Central Human Resources Bank, also known as the biobank, collects and stores important data such as human resources including blood and cells, and DNA information, and provides these to private research institutions and industries upon request.

President Yoon said, "The biobank is a core infrastructure of the biohealth industry," and added, "The government will increase investment in core infrastructure for the bio industry to reduce the research and development costs for companies." He further ordered, "The KDCA should ensure that genomic information is utilized as a valuable resource for the development of biohealth industry technologies, such as vaccine development, by steadily advancing the big data construction project, and actively improve related systems and regulations to promote vigorous private research and development and investment in the biohealth sector."