Sangmin Lee: "If Logistics Damage Increases in Petrochemicals and Steel, Work Commencement Orders Will Be Issued"

60% of Construction Sites Halt Concrete Pouring
Gas Station Inventory Issues May Spread Nationwide
"Monitoring Damage in Refining, Steel, Container Sectors"
Itaewon Disaster Shifts from 'Central Disaster Headquarters' to 'Support Team' System

Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min is speaking at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the Cargo Solidarity collective transport refusal, Itaewon accident, and COVID-19, held on the morning of the 2nd at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min announced that if the damage spreads to other industries such as oil refining and steel due to the ongoing Cargo Solidarity transport refusal strike, which has continued for nine days, a work commencement order will be immediately issued.

On the 2nd, Minister Lee Sang-min stated at the Government Seoul Office during the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting, which addressed the Cargo Solidarity collective transport refusal, the Itaewon accident, and COVID-19, "If the damage significantly spreads to other industrial sectors where logistics chaos is becoming a reality, such as oil refining, steel, and containers, a work commencement order will be immediately issued. We are currently monitoring the damage situation in real-time for this purpose."

Since the government issued a work commencement order in the cement sector on the 29th of last month, shipments have increased, but construction has been halted at 727 out of 1,219 construction sites nationwide. The government has issued work commencement orders to the transport operators. Minister Lee said, "We ask the transport companies and truck drivers who have received the work commencement orders to promptly return to work to minimize damage to the national economy and people's livelihoods."

Minister Lee explained, "Due to the Cargo Solidarity's collective transport refusal, logistics chaos and export disruptions have occurred, spreading damage across the entire industrial sector. The losses in major industries such as cement, oil refining, and steel are approaching 1.6 trillion won over one week."

He added, "In the cement sector where the work commencement order has been issued, shipments have increased about fourfold compared to before, but it still does not reach 50% of the usual level, so about 60% of construction sites nationwide have halted concrete pouring. The inventory at gas stations, mainly in the metropolitan area, is also likely to spread nationwide soon if the transport refusal continues."

The response system to the Itaewon disaster will shift from the 'Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH)' to a 'Support Team' system. After the disaster, the CDSCH was established on the 30th, declaring a special disaster area and managing the accident with funeral and medical support.

Minister Lee said, "The government will transition from the CDSCH system to the Support Team system to focus administrative efforts on supporting the bereaved families. The day before yesterday, we newly formed the 'Itaewon Disaster Ministry of the Interior and Safety Support Team' for family support and memorial projects."

Amid the ongoing resurgence of COVID-19, reinfection rates are increasing due to reduced immunity. Although the number of confirmed cases is stagnating, the daily average of severe cases remains in the 40s.

Minister Lee explained, "The bivalent vaccine used for additional winter vaccinations has been confirmed to have up to 2.6 times greater ability to neutralize the virus compared to existing vaccines. Considering that most of the viruses detected domestically are from the Omicron lineage (BA5 85.1%), the necessity of receiving the bivalent vaccine is even higher."

He continued, "Since the interval for additional winter vaccinations has been shortened to three months, we ask for the public's more active participation."