Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week. 1. Gyeonggi to Temporarily Close Facilities for Individuals Vulnerable to COVID-19 (0302-1) Gyeonggi Province recently announced plans to temporarily close medical and residential facilities for individuals, including seniors and those with disabilities, who are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection in groups. ► ‘Preventive Cohort Isolation’ to Cover Large Number of Facilities in Gyeonggi Referred to as a ‘preventive cohort isolation’, this initiative aims to proactively prevent the spread of this virus among such individuals. ► Proactive Prevention of Group Infection This measure seeks to address the tendency of this virus to spread rapidly within cohort groups. ► Closure of 1,824 Domiciliary Care Facilities for 2 Weeks The subjects of the closure include dormitory-type care facilities for seniors as well as those for individuals with physical or mental disabilities. ► Facility Personnel Also to Remain Isolated At the determination of facility heads, personnel should also be isolated within the facility together with users while visitor access will be strictly prohibited and all incoming items sterilized. ► Losses Resulting from Isolation to Be Borne by Provincial Administration. Gyeonggi Province plans to compensate these facilities for losses stemming from their isolation. ► Jo Tae-hun, Director, Gyeonggi Province Senior Welfare Division “Damage by infection (among users of such facilities) can be serious. That motivated us to introduce this preventive cohort isolation program. The province will compensate losses such as lost wages as well as additional costs for meals and snacks that stem from isolation.” Since preventive isolation is a recommended condition, Gyeonggi Province will encourage many facilities to participate in this plan and shall extend the isolation period and facility coverage as necessary. Those facilities that cannot close immediately will still prohibit access by visitors and undertake the isolation of personnel outside of their working hours.   2. Gyeonggi Continues Reduction of Documentary Requirements for Civil Applications (0228-3) At a press conference on February 27, Gyeonggi Province announced that it will continue to reduce documentary requirements for civil applications so as to simplify procedures while reducing document preparation efforts for residents. ► Gyeonggi Province Processes 5,000 Civil Applications Daily Last year, Gyeonggi Province processed a total of 1.9 million civil applications, which is equivalent to approximately 5,000 applications daily. These applications typically require the submission of supporting documents. ► Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex (February 27) Press Conference on Reduction of Documentary Requirements for Gyeonggi Province Civil Applications Document reduction will concentrate on applications that require complicated document preparation efforts. ► Gyeonggi Identifies 400 Unnecessary Documents for Civil Applications Last year, the province identified approximately 400 unnecessary documents for various civil application types. ► Document Requirements Simplified for 148 Civil Application Types Of these, 148 have been simplified through the reduction of documentary requirements. These documents have been replaced by information accessible via provincial computer networks or simply deleted from the lists of required documents ► Gyeonggi Continues Civil Application Document Reduction Gyeonggi Province also simplified application channels. Applications for youth basic income and postnatal care support can now be made through the 24-hour Gyeonggi Public Service system. ► 4 Document Types Removed from Documents to Be Submitted by Applicants Four types of documents including resident registration certificates are no longer required for civil applications, thereby reducing document preparation time and costs for applicants. ► Ryu In-gwon, Director General, Gyeonggi Province Policy Planning and Budget Bureau “We are aware that there are still documents which significantly inconvenience residents making civil applications. We will continue to reduce documentary requirements so as to reduce such inconveniences.” ► Gyeonggi to Complete Establishment of Gyeonggi Public Service 24 System This Year By the end of the year, Gyeonggi Province will complete the establishment of the 24-hour Gyeonggi Public Service system for the online processing of more than 50 types of civil applications and will expand related services thereafter.   3. This Year’s 1st Quarterly Gyeonggi Youth Basic Income Payments (0302-2) Gyeonggi Province began receiving applications for this year’s first quarterly Youth Basic Income payments. The application deadline is April 1. Twenty-four-year-old Gyeonggi residents who were born between January 2 of 1995 and January 1 of 1996 and who have lived in the province continuously for more than 3 years or collectively for more than 10 years can apply. Applications are being received online through the related website. All that is required is the completed application form and a copy of the resident registration certificate. Payments in the amount of KRW 250,000 will be made from April 20 in Gyeonggi local currency.   4. Number of Driver Licenses Returned by Seniors Exceeds 20,000 in Gyeonggi (0304-2) Since related policy was introduced by Gyeonggi Province last September, the number of driver licenses voluntarily surrendered by seniors has exceeded 20,000. This policy is geared to reduce traffic accidents by encouraging drivers who more than 65 years of age to return their driver licenses. The number of fatal accidents involving senior drivers actually fell by 5 percent during the first four months of this policy’s implementation. Gyeonggi Province is rewarding those who return their driver licenses with local currency. The province has set aside KRW 2 billion for such payments this year.   5. Gyeonggi COVID-19 Response Team Gives Regular Briefing on March 4 (0304-1) From March 4, the Gyeonggi COVID-19 Response Team will provide residents with detailed information on current circumstances through regular briefings. During the March 4 briefing, it was disclosed that some patients in serious condition were transported from Daegu (대구) Metropolitan City and North Gyeongsang (경상) Province and admitted to hospitals in Gyeonggi. ► 102 Confirmed COVID-19 Infection Cases in Gyeonggi as of March 4 As of March 4, there were 102 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the province. Of these, 9 individuals have been discharged from hospitals while 92 were receiving treatment in isolation. The cases were identified in 18 areas of the province with Suwon (수언) City having the largest number with 18 cases. ► Serious Patients from Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province Transferred to Gyeonggi Hospitals While there were 10 patients from other regions receiving treatment in Gyeonggi Province, additional patients in serious condition from Daegu (대구) and North Gyeongsang (경상) Province were admitted to provincial hospitals on March 4. ► Lim Seung-gwan, Joint Chief, Gyeonggi COVID-19 Emergency Response Team “Today, we admitted 25 patients from Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province to provincial hospitals as part of national response efforts.” ► 53 Negative Pressure Beds Available in Gyeonggi As of March 4, there were 53 negative pressure beds available in the province. In order to overcome a projected shortage, Gyeonggi Province disclosed that it will introduce a two-track method to improve the management efficiency of these beds. ► Gyeonggi to Establish Its Own Patient Management System While disclosing detailed response measures, Gyeonggi Province also revealed its own patient health management system. ► Lim Seung-gwan, Joint Chief, Gyeonggi COVID-19 Emergency Response Team “We will perform effective classification of patient health status, develop a classification platform and treatment resource management platform for serious cases, link and efficiently manage these platforms, and operate a call center manned by medical personnel including nurses.” ► Development of Patient Health Management Criteria The province also plans to develop patient health management criteria and a related database. ► Operation of Home Health Management Services for Mild Patients The province also revealed plans to launch home health management services for mild cases. Furthermore, Gyeonggi Province will hold regular COVID-19 briefings hosted by specialists at 3pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week. The first briefing on March 4 was conducted by a joint chief of the Gyeonggi COVID-19 Emergency Response Team   6. Gyeonggi Appoints 59 More COVID-19 Inspectors (0305) With the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases mounting, Gyeonggi Province announced that it has appointed 59 additional inspectors from among public health center doctors. These new inspectors will undertake in-depth investigations and on-site responses upon request by the province while performing their normal duties. With this enhanced inspection capability, Gyeonggi Province will be able to handle new confirmed cases more swiftly while preventing the spread of the disease more effectively.   7. Landlords in Gyeonggi Join Small Business Rent Reduction Movement The Korean government recently announced plans to compensate landlords who reduce rents for small businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak. Compensation will be made for half of reduced rent amounts in the form of income tax breaks and corporate tax exemptions. There are an increasing number of landlords who have joined this movement, also known as the ‘kind landlord movement’, in Gyeonggi Province. ► GTV Reporter Kim Tae-hui “While backstreet commerce suffers a direct hit from COVID-19, there is a movement spreading among landlords who voluntarily reduce rents to help small businesses endure this difficult time.” ► 40 out of 180 Commercial Buildings in Guri Traditional Market Reduce Rents 10-30% In Guri Traditional Market, landlords of 40 out of 180 commercial buildings have reduced rents by up to 30 percent. Such compassionate actions are welcomed by market merchants. ► Jo Jong-deok, Commercial Building Tenant and Guri Traditional Market Merchant Association Head “Such discounts in rents help merchants a great deal. We’d like to again express our gratitude to the landlords. Such help encourages us to work harder to overcome this ordeal.” In Paju (파주) City, 10 landlords of 13 commercial buildings in a large shopping center that houses more than 180 shops also promised to reduce rents for their tenants. ► Kang Jin-ha, Head of Wunjeonggaram Shop Association “I hope to see more landlords join the movement, with the 100% target rate achieved at least in our town and all people cooperating for shared prosperity and overcoming this hardship together…” There was even a landlord who waived rents for a month as the number of shop owners considering business closure increased. ► Jo Seon-yeong, Landlord “All people in the nation are experiencing difficulties. We are, too. Nevertheless, we decided to participate in this movement as we are in the same boat.” ► Rent Reduction Movement Spreads to Suwon and Siheung The rent reduction movement is also spreading to traditional markets and shopping centers in the cities of Suwon (수원) and Siheung (시흥). ► Jo Jang-seok, Director, Gyeonggi Province Small Business Division “Working in cooperation with merchant associations and small business associations in the province and undertaking promotional campaigns, we will endeavor to spread the ‘kind landlord movement’ throughout the province.” Gyeonggi Province is also considering rent reductions for tenants of public properties and provincial organization properties. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. We look forward to seeing you again next week.