President Moon Jae-in says no one is exempt when it comes to observing antivirus guidelines and that violations will be sternly dealt with.

Chairing his weekly meeting with top aides on Monday, Moon said the top task at hand is swiftly implementing tough measures to curb the spread of the virus, adding the government was beefing up efforts.

Among the efforts are expanding testing and epidemiological surveys, securing more beds and treatment centers, and increasing inspections of high-risk facilities and holiday hot spots.

The president thanked the public for its cooperation and medical workers for their dedication despite the unrelenting heat wave, stressing that unity is all the more necessary during challenging times.

Moon promised the more efficient use of vaccines to speed up inoculations among the general public in their 40s and younger.

He also vowed to prepare more aggressive and concrete support for the self-employed and small business owners. The president went on to urge the parliament to swiftly approve the extra budget.