Mayor Yeom Tae-young: "Citizens' Cooperation Again Needed to Overcome COVID-19"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Yeom Tae-young, Mayor of Suwon and chairman of the National Association of Mayors, County Governors and District Heads, appealed, "We urge all citizens to actively cooperate once again to contain and overcome the spread of COVID-19."

Mayor Yeom held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Hall on the 21st, stating, "Following the cluster infection at Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul and the August 15 Gwanghwamun gathering, COVID-19 has spread nationwide centered on the Seoul metropolitan area, raising concerns about a second wave of the pandemic." He requested, "Citizens should refrain from going out and gatherings, comply with 'social distancing' guidelines and quarantine rules, and actively cooperate with quarantine authorities' requests."

He further urged that ▲Sarang Jeil Church immediately submit the list of church members to the government ▲relevant church members and gathering participants voluntarily report and undergo diagnostic testing and cooperate with epidemiological investigations ▲the government issue administrative orders to ensure prompt voluntary reporting, testing, and quarantine ▲the medical community refrain from strikes in consideration of citizens' lives and safety.

Mayor Yeom stated, "If church members and gathering participants fail to comply with quarantine measures such as voluntary reporting and cause secondary infections, local governments will take all available measures including legal action and damage claims."

He further urged, "The government should provide information about Gwanghwamun gathering participants to all local governments nationwide to accelerate the speed of containing the infectious disease."

He also said, "We hope that Sarang Jeil Church will immediately disclose its membership list and voluntarily cooperate with diagnostic testing and epidemiological investigations," warning, "If the church endangers the public, it will face strong legal penalties."