Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun has stressed the need to firmly contain the spread of COVID-19 through tightened quarantine rules during the upcoming holiday season. 

Chairing a government meeting on COVID-19 response measures on Wednesday, Chung said the nation will be able to face a much-improved situation on New Year’s Day if the government’s thorough quarantine efforts and public’s active participation create synergy.  

The prime minister said the special quarantine measures that the government unveiled on Tuesday must be thoroughly observed in order to produce results.  

Chung added that the government has managed to secure some eight-thousand sickbeds, close to its target of ten-thousand. He said the serious lack of space for critical patients is expected to be resolved soon with cooperation from several private hospitals.