'A Holiday Full of Opportunities, A Happy Lunar New Year Break for All Residents'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gap-dong] Gyeonggi Province is implementing a 'Lunar New Year Holiday Comprehensive Measures' plan, focusing on 24 measures across 5 sectors to achieve 'A holiday full of opportunities, a happy Lunar New Year break for all residents.'

If there are any inconveniences during the holiday period, residents can call the Gyeonggi Province call center (031-120) for assistance.

Gyeonggi Province's 2024 Lunar New Year Holiday Comprehensive Measures focus on 5 major sectors: △people's livelihoods stabilization △healthcare and welfare △transportation convenience △culture △safety. Details by sector are as follows.

■ People's Livelihoods Stabilization 'An Opportunity to Shop Without Worry and with Peace of Mind'

The province is making an all-out effort to stabilize prices of holiday seasonal goods such as apples and pears that have been rising. The Gyeonggi Province Comprehensive Price Control Task Force, composed of 3 divisions including the agricultural, fishery and livestock division, and 31 city and county price control task forces will cooperate to conduct surveys on 16 seasonal items and monitor implementation of price display regulations. Additionally, the province is focusing on revitalizing alleyway commerce by collaborating with local merchants' associations and consumer groups to promote the use of traditional markets during the holiday period.

Gyeonggi Province's price responsibility officers will each be in charge of 31 cities and counties to grasp price trends of major seasonal goods and promote the use of price benefit programs such as 'Lunar New Year Agricultural and Special Products Discount Sale.' The province plans to implement grassroots civil service administration to give residents an 'opportunity to shop without worry and with peace of mind.'

Meanwhile, the Gyeonggi Local Food Direct Store (Geonju, Gonji-am) is conducting 'Lunar New Year Welcome Dragon (龍) Discount Sale' until the 8th, offering up to 40% discount on 14 products including tteok-guk rice cakes.

■ Healthcare and Welfare 'An Opportunity for Everyone to Spend a Warm Holiday Without Illness'

During the long holiday period, a 24-hour emergency medical care system has been established with 73 emergency medical institutions so that ill residents do not face inconvenience. Approximately 1,700 hospitals and clinics and about 1,600 pharmacies will also be open to minimize medical gaps. Emergency medical institutions, hospitals, and pharmacies operating during the holiday can be checked through the Central Emergency Medical Center website (www.e-gen.or.kr). To prevent infectious diseases that easily spread during holidays, an emergency quarantine system has been established in cooperation with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, city and county health centers, and medical institutions.

To ensure vulnerable groups are not marginalized during the holiday atmosphere, meal support is provided to 806 homeless individuals in need of care, and approximately 170 million won is provided to 686 social welfare facilities. The safety of approximately 85,000 vulnerable elderly and approximately 52,000 vulnerable people with disabilities will be confirmed through visits, phone calls, and Internet of Things (IoT) equipment. All 31 youth shelters in the province will be open 24 hours to protect homeless youth during the holiday period, and food is provided to youth in transition to independence and children in food insecurity situations.

■ Transportation Convenience 'An Opportunity Where Traffic and Administrative Services Flow Smoothly Without Congestion'

From the 8th to the 12th, 5 days are designated as 'Special Traffic Measures Period for 2024 Lunar New Year Holiday,' and various policies are being implemented to resolve congestion on the way home. First, intercity buses will have 93 additional buses across 44 routes in 5 regions, with 149 additional trips. Information about these bus additions can be found through mobile apps (Bus Tago) and intercity bus reservation websites (www.kobus.co.kr, www.bustago.or.kr).

Additionally, the Gyeonggi Traffic Information Center website (gits.gg.go.kr), mobile app (Gyeonggi Traffic Information), and traffic information hotline (1688-9090) provide information on congestion status of major roads in the province, fastest route guidance, and emergency situation announcements (traffic accidents, restricted areas). In preparation for the surge in overseas travel demand during the holiday, airport buses on 8 routes will have 16 additional daily trips to resolve late-night service gaps for airport users.

Strengthened emergency operations are being implemented to ensure that approximately 70 tons of household waste expected during the holiday is disposed of in a timely manner. Through maintenance of emergency contact systems with city and county waste management departments, rapid response units will be operated in cities and counties to handle emergency civil complaints related to household waste collection.

■ Culture 'An Opportunity to Spend a Meaningful Holiday with Family'

To allow families to spend a meaningful holiday together, 24 museums and art galleries will be open. Various planning exhibitions that can be enjoyed with children, such as 'What to Wear Today? (Gyeonggi Children's Museum)' and 'Happy Dragon (Korean Cartoon Museum),' will be on display during the holiday.

Free tourist attractions fully open during the entire holiday period include Suwon Hwaseong, Goyang Haengju Fortress, Paju Imjinggak Peace Garden, and Uiwang Rail Park. The province will open 44 accessible tourist sites for 'tourism-vulnerable groups' including people with disabilities and provide 75% discount on professional sports admission fees for seniors over 70 and people with disabilities.

Professional sports events held in Gyeonggi Province during the holiday include a total of 8 games, including Suwon KT vs. Wonju DB (men's basketball). Discount admission applications are available at point-of-purchase, each team's website, and internet ticketing agencies.

■ Safety 'An Opportunity to Spend the Holiday Peacefully Without Accident Risk'

In preparation for the Lunar New Year holiday when fires occur frequently, all fire departments in the province will enter special alert duty. Safety inspections of 162 traditional markets, 673 multi-use facilities, and 14 large-scale retail facilities will prevent accidents before they occur.

In areas expected to attract large numbers of residents such as train stations and tourist sites, a joint response system has been established involving the province, cities and counties, fire departments, and police to carefully prepare for crowd management. For livestock infectious diseases such as African Swine Fever (ASF) and avian influenza (AI), thorough disease prevention will be implemented through the operation of a provincial-city and county livestock infectious disease control task force and support for farm disinfection.

If a disaster occurs during the holiday period, a 24-hour disaster management system will operate for rapid and accurate disaster situation reporting and dissemination. Additionally, through the operation of gas, electricity, and chemical safety management task forces, rapid initial response will be implemented if related accidents occur.

For major crime-vulnerable facilities where crowds gather such as traditional markets, vulnerability factors will be pre-checked and local security activities will be strengthened through cooperation with security cooperation agencies.

Jeong Gu-won, Director of the Autonomous Administration Bureau, said, "We will do our best to stabilize people's livelihoods to reduce the burden of holiday shopping and make all residents, including vulnerable groups, feel secure and rest during the holiday period."