On Jul. 20, Governor Won Hee-ryong of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province ordered to prepare full measures to protect the vulnerable groups from summer disasters and other natural disasters. Won emphasized, “We need to protect the residents and tourists from COVID-19 and strengthen Jeju's clean and safe tourism brand through developing various tourism content.”

Won’s remark came at the weekly policy coordination meeting, organized on Jul. 20, on countermeasures against disasters (such as heat waves) and the examination of compromises on the 2021 national government project.

Governor Won said, “It is critical to protect the residents from summer heatwaves, typhoons, and COVID-19, and to ensure the safety and satisfaction of tourists who come to Jeju.” He requested, “Prepare comprehensively for various natural disasters and make every effort for vulnerable groups who will heat waves.”

“As we plan to partially restart the operation of senior citizen centers in consideration of the COVID-19 situation, we must implement thorough prevention,” he emphasized. "We shall strengthen the promotion of energy voucher business and others to prevent vulnerable groups such as the elderly and the disabled from being exposed to heatwaves and natural disasters in the COVID-19 situation."

Governor Won further requested, “Jeju tourism is recovering at the moment, but complaints about the high prices are reported through several media and pose a serious risk to Jeju's image. Please reinforce the inspections to protect our image and brand.”

“Jeju is in the process of strengthening our clean and safe brand through successful prevention measures. It should be an opportunity for Jeju tourism to accumulate the strength for another leap forward through the image that Jeju's protection measures are advanced at the level of national and global standards," Won remarked.

In addition, “Safe tourism will become a trend in the prolongation of the COVID-19 crisis. Jeju shall lead the tourism industry in the post-COVID-19 period by actively supporting the discovery of diffused, non-face-to-face, non-contact tourism, programs, and contents, and boldly easing related regulations,” he said.

In relation to securing the national budget in 2021, Won said, “Keep knocking on the door and make ardent efforts to contact the central government as we compromise, with the attitude that these are part of the experience to secure more national funds.”

“The government is investing the largest amount of budget in history with regard to the Korean version of the comprehensive New Deal plan, job creation, and COVID-19 response. Please make the best use of these conditions to apply them toward Jeju's current issues and future projects,” he added.

Meanwhile, Jeju Province is preparing for summer disasters such as heat waves by▲ checks and access control to facilities that are vulnerable to disasters ▲ operating a 24-hour disaster safety situation room ▲ organizing and running a task force team in response to heatwaves ▲promoting measures to protect vulnerable groups against heatwaves ▲strengthening food poisoning prevention activities ▲ strengthening preventive measures against the occurrence of infectious diseases.