(Unofficial translation)

Let me begin the 27th Cabinet Meeting.

We are now experiencing a new normal in which we have to live together with an extremely contagious virus. Even though we are afraid of the threat posed by COVID-19, we cannot bring our daily lives to a halt. As sporadic infection clusters have shown, we’ll always be exposed to the risk of infection until the COVID-19 outbreak is brought to an end completely. That risk may persist until a vaccine is developed.

However, I believe we can fully handle the new normal, considering our infectious disease prevention and control capabilities and accumulated experience. We only need to pay unceasing attention to infectious disease prevention and control.

Regarding those high-risk facilities where recent infection clusters have primarily occurred, we will apply more stringent rules for prevention and control and the joint monitoring efforts by relevant ministries and agencies as well as local governments will be strengthened, thus preventing a recurrence of infection clusters.

People already know well the most effective ways to protect against the virus in their daily lives. If we properly practice epidemic prevention guidelines, just as we have been doing, we will be guaranteed daily lives safe from infection. 

Harmony between daily lives and infectious disease prevention and control efforts as well as the success of the new normal will, in the end, depend on the people’s participation and cooperation. I believe our people’s high level of civic consciousness will make maintaining our epidemic prevention efforts in our daily lives a success.

Following the resumption of in-person classes for high school seniors last week, schools will reopen to all students in stages. I understand well how heavy the hearts of parents must be when they have to send their children to school in a situation where concerns still linger. The Government feels the same way. We will prepare thoroughly with the same mindset as parents to ensure that children will remain healthy at school. 

Reopening schools after a long delay will be a test for the success of maintaining infectious disease prevention and control in our daily lives. Safety guidelines must be thoroughly followed at schools, and at the same time, prevention and control efforts outside schools must never be neglected. The central and local governments will also do all we can to apply prevention and control measures to public establishments, such as singing rooms and internet cafes, where multiple cases of infection are being reported. Still, I ask our students – for each other’s safety – to use extraordinary caution regarding going to such places that have a high infection risk.

When a confirmed or suspected case occurs at schools, an emergency response system will quickly go into operation in accordance with the manual. If there are any shortcomings, we will make immediate improvements. We will also put all of our efforts into minimizing the possible childcare vacuum caused by remote classes continuing even after schools reopen.

Not only teachers, parents and students but local communities as well are all principal actors in the prevention and control of this infectious disease. If everyone pulls together to protect children’s safety, Korea’s COVID-19 response could become yet another global standard.

I am truly pleased by the fact that the emergency relief payments that the Government provided for the first time in history are bringing people great comfort and support. They have brought tangible help to small businesses in residential neighborhoods and microbusiness owners. Microbusiness owners have seen their sales decline at a slower rate as emergency relief payments spur consumption, and credit card sales have reportedly recovered to last year’s levels.

The bolstering of consumption – one of the aims of the emergency relief payments – is being realized. This is attributed to the people having actively spent the funds to help the difficulty-ridden national economy. I read in the news about the relief payments being used to buy beef for soup after a long while and that someone bought a pair of glasses for his wife that he had been wanting to buy for a long time. Most of all, Korean beef and pork belly sales are said to have skyrocketed. 

My heart has been touched as I can empathize with the people who have tightened their belts due to the economic contraction. I feel the relief payments are worthwhile since they are warming the hearts of those in need. 

I also express special thanks to the people who have been donating their relief payments. These precious donations will be transferred to the employment insurance fund and used where it is essential – to help promote employment stability for people facing difficulties and provide unemployment benefits for those in desperate need of jobs. 

I also read an article about relief payments being donated anonymously to apartment complex security guards and cleaners. This is a beautiful contribution. The warm hearts that reach out to those worse off even amid hardships will indeed create the foundation for a world where people can live with dignity. 

In the end, it all comes down to jobs, and in this emergency situation, it is difficult to deal with this issue through government fiscal spending alone. The people’s donations will protect jobs or be of great help to those who’ve lost them. Regardless of whether consuming or donating, I hope that those intentions combine as one and become a source of strength that helps us weather this difficult time together. 

Thank you.