Ja-Yeol Koo, Chairman of the Trade Association, “Vaccination, please be considerate of overseas business travelers”

Chairman of the International Trade Association Koo Ja-yeol suggested to the government to give priority to vaccination against the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) for businessmen who frequently travel abroad for business purposes. The government replied that vaccination is possible when leaving the country for essential public service or important economic activities.

On the 10th, Chairman Koo participated in the joint public-private concert held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul, presided over by the Prime Minister, at the’Hope Concert for the Era of 700 Billion Dollars of Exports Together’ and the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2021) Innovation Award. Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yun-mo, and export entrepreneurs attended the event.

At the event, Chairman Koo said, “In the second half of the year, vaccination has begun in Korea, and business trips overseas are expected to become active.” However, there is a possibility that major countries will require vaccination certificates, so business people who need to travel abroad will be vaccinated. We ask for consideration so that we can receive priority first.” German Chancellor Angela Merkel also stressed the need for a digital vaccination certificate at the European Union (EU) summit last month.

Chairman Koo said, “Corona 19 is changing the way people live, the topography of the industry, and international relations, so it will never go back even after its end.” Added.

With vaccination started in Korea on the 26th of last month, the cumulative number of vaccinations as of 0 o’clock on the 10th is about 440,000. The government is planning to finish the first vaccination by the end of this month by selecting more than 770,000 medical staff, nursing institution workers and residents as vaccinations. On this day, the government made it possible to receive vaccinations first when leaving Korea to perform essential tasks that converge with national interests, such as business trips, dispatch overseas, and dispatch of diplomatic missions abroad. It can also be vaccinated for important economic or public interest purposes. However, it must be approved by the ministry in charge and the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On the other hand, the event was held in the form of a talk concert in which the prime minister and the head of the no association responded by listening to the voices of the students dreaming of becoming export businessmen and future traders. Businessmen and students having difficulty attending the field due to Corona 19 expressed various opinions through non-face-to-face video access. AD Technology, which exports system semiconductors, talked about the lack of design and development experts, and SeAH Steel, which produces steel pipes for offshore wind power, raised the cost of offshore logistics and the difficulty of securing space for cargo ships.

Reporter Kang Byung-cheol [email protected]