korea national park service(knps) response case

JULY 2020

COVID-19 in the Republic of Korea(RoK)

KOREA NATIONAL PARK SERVICE(KNPS) RESPONSE CASE

Current status of COVID-19

Response to COVID-19

ⅡRoK’S FIGHT AGAINST

COVID-19

CEO Leadership

Staff Safety Management

Visitor Management

Outreach & Cooperation

Business Management

Operation Check

ⅢCOVID-19 IN KNPSRESPONSE CASE

ⅣPOST COVID-19

OUR TASK

ⅠOVERVIEW OF KNPS

About

Korea National Park

Organization

Budgets & Staff

Major Task

National Park Value

Visitors

Innovative Way of Working

Lessons Learned

Five CharacteristicsT.R.U.S.T

ⅠCOVID-19 in RoK

OVERVIEW OF KNPS

About / Korea National Park / Organization / Budgets & Staff / Major Task / National Park Value / Visitors

ABOUT

KOREA NATIONAL PARK

National Parks are designated and managed by the state as “areas that

can represent natural ecosystems and cultural/natural landscapes of

the country”. In Korea, starting with the Jirisan National Park, the first

national park designated in 1967, a total of 22 national parks have

been designated and managed.

The Korea National Park Service was established in 1987 as a

specialized park management authority to conserve and manage

natural ecosystems, cultural/natural landscapes, and geological

resources, with a view to promoting sustainable use of national parks

and enabling the public to maintain healthy and happy lives in

pleasant natural environments.

KOREA NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

KOREANATIONALPARK

22

ORGANIZATION

H.Q 15 Dept, 1 Head Office, 29 Office, 1 Research Institute, 8 Nature Center, 1 Mountain Safety Education Institute,1 Geoparks Secretariat

Audit Office Secretary Office Social Values & Innovation Office

Chairman Auditor

Planning & Budget Dept

KNPNature Center

National Geoparks Secretariat

Disaster Safety Dept

Workplace Safety Office

National ParkAll Situation Center

National ParkMountain Training

Safety Center

29 Offices Research Institute

Administration Dept

Park Conservation Dept

Park Management Dept

Visitor Management Dept.

Facility Management Dept.

Public Relations Office

IT ServiceOffice

PartnershipOffice

Executive Director of Park Conservation Executive Director of Visit Service H.Q for Safety ManagementExecutive Director of Planning

Audit Dept｜Audit & Planning Dept

STAFFBUDGETS

To

Improving Ecological Values ofNatural Resources

1. Improvement of bio-cultural diversity

2. Reinforcement of ecosystem stability

3. Establishment of fundamentals to respond new climate regime

Increasing Well-being of Visitors: Happy People

1. Good experiences of visitors

2. Expansion of customer-oriented infrastructure for enhanced

visitor services

3.Effective operation of resources for better visitor services

To pursue eco-welfare services that provide a happy life to the

people through integrity and sustainable use of ecosystems

Enhancing Safety of National Parks

1. Integrated management of disaster response and safety

2. Preemptive activities of safety management

3. Creation of safe working environment for staffs

To minimize risk factors in national parks to ensure the safety

of external and internal citizens and members, while creating

a safe environment for visitors

Realizing Social Values through Innovation

1. Increase of national trust through cooperation and consideration

2. Effective and innovative management

3. Acquisition of sustainable growth capability for the future

To internalize inclusion/coexistence/ethical management to

acquire the trust from the people and to understand the

sustainable social responsibility s a public institute through

internal innovation

1 2

3 4

To improve future ecosystem values through enhancement of

bio-cultural diversity and ecosystem stability in national parks

KOREANATIONALPARKVALUE

Natural Ecological Value

Cultural Value

Leisure and Recreation Value

Economic Value

Habitat for 43% (22,055 species) of total species living in Korea (50,827 species)

Habitat for 65% (175 species) of Korean endangered species (267 species)

Leisure and recreation place for annual 43 million visitors

Heritage site with 42 national treasures, 164 treasures, and 74 natural monuments

KRW 114.3 trillion (conservation value: 102.4 trillion won / use value: 11.9 trillion won)

VISITORS

VISITORS

Total Population (2019) : 51,801,000

8 out of 10 Koreans visited a National Park

2ndMountain-climbing (34%)

1stFishing (40%)

National Outdoor Activities/Hobbies in Korea

KOREA NATIONAL PARK VISITORS

ⅡCOVID-19 in RoK

RoK’S FIGHT AGAINSTCOVID-19

Current status of COVID-19 / Response to COVID-19 / Five Characteristics T.R.U.S.T / Lessons Learned

Current Status of COVID-19 in the World

(Last update 3 JULY 2020 09:00)

Coronavirus disease(COVID-19)outbreak situation

•After vigorous testing and tracing, the number of new daily confirmed cases peaked in late February and hassteadily declined.

•Since mid-March, the daily recovered cases have significantly surpassed new confirmed cases, reducing thenumber of patients in treatment.

Current Status of COVID-19 in RoK

(as of 12am on JULY 3, 2020 data aggregated from January 3)

Global Trend Korean Trend

13,030Confirmed Cases

282deaths

10,720,449Confirmed Cases

517,340deaths

RoK’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19

• Robust health care system

• Advanced Information & Communication Technology(ICT) infrastructure

• Relatively high civil responsibility

PRINCIPLES CONTROL STRATEGY

• Preemptive,Rigorous & Innovative

3T

TEST

TRACE TREAT

RoK IS…

• A vibrant democratic society

• Reliant on int’l trade and flowof people, goods & services

And has…

Openness

Transparency

Democratic Values

∨

∨

∨


•Fast-track authorization of test-kits

•Innovations in access to testing

•Free tests for suspected patients, including foreigners

•79 drive-thru testing stations

•Walk-thru testing facilities

•Mass-scale testing capacity of up to 200,000test daily at 590 testing sites

•Vigorous tracking of contacts

•Launching ‘Self-quarantine Safety and Protection’ APP

More than 1,273,766 tests completed (30 June)

TEST TRACE


•Designation of hospitals for infectious disease for COVID-19 patients only

•Free Treatment for all confirmed patients, including foreigners

•Prioritization of medical resources and stratified treatment

- Mild Symptoms : quarantine in Living Treatment Centers- From moderate to severe symptoms: care at infectious disease hospitals

•Inflow Management

- Special entry procedure- Mobile self-diagnosis app- Self-quarantine of all inbound travelers

•Outflow Management

- Banning any contacts with the confirmed patient from exiting Korea

- COVID-19 Free Airport

TREAT Management of Inflow & Outflow of Virus


Transparency

Robust Screening and Quarantine

Unique but Universally-applicable

Strict Control

Treatment

T

R

U

S

T

Five Characteristics


Transparency

Lessons Learned

T R U S TResponsibility United Actions Science & Speed Together in Solidarity

Transparent release

of information both

domestically &

internationally

Public trust &

awareness

Government’s

Responsibility

Civil responsibility

United actions by the

government, research

institutions & private

companies

Whole-of-government

approach

Applying innovative

technologies for a

speedy response

Research and study

Policies based on

scientific evidence

Share information,

best practices & lessons

learned

Stand against

xenophobia &

discrimination

Humanitarian assistance

ⅢCOVID-19 in RoK

COVID-19 IN KNPSRESPONSE CASE

CEO Leadership / Staff Safety Management/ Visitor Management / Outreach & Cooperation /

Business Management / Operation Check

Background│Disease alert level for COVID-19 was elevated (Alert→Serious)

Date│Feb. 24, 2020. 09:30∼10:20 *Date of the disease alert level elevation: Feb. 23, 2020.

Agenda│Idea sharing on infection prevention and response of COVID-19

Participants│13 (CEO, executives, directors of headquarters, etc.)

Topic│Facilities use restrictions, closure of trails and public facilities used by densely packed crowds

(shelters, campsites, visitor centers, etc.), review on visitor programs, and other response policies

CEO Leadership

• Extensive management strategy meeting & sharing of special instructions according to emergency

Main Contents│

- Enhanced disinfection of public facilities used by crowds

- Thorough implementation of 2m-distancing of visitors

- Reinforcement of staff safety

- Restriction of staff’s business trip

Meeting to share comprehensive judgments for preemptive response to COVID-19

Meeting to share special instructions for COVID-19 response

[Special Instruction Sharing]

CEO Leadership

CEO donates his full monthly salary

•To support for vulnerable people suffering from COVID-19.

•To set an example from the top to share pain to overcome the national risk.

[Field Inspection for 2m-Distaincing of Visitors][Field Inspection for Visitor Safety] [Campsite Inspection]

•CEO has field inspections to encourage staff to implement the national guidelines and instructions actively.

Special donation (donation of full monthly salary)

Site inspection for COVID-19 response

Background & Purpose│

• To deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, KNPS needs to develop its own quarantine and response plan.

• It aims to prevent the infectious disease in national parks by establishing a quarantine management and response system.


[Prevention of Infection in The Elevator ]

Main Activities│

•Establishment of cooperation systems between related organizations (local governments, public health centers, hospitals, etc.)

• Emphasis on quarantine management of headquarters (offices) and compliance with personal hygiene practices

- Periodic disinfection, hygiene products, and separate reception room for visitors

- Entrance control

(one entry to the building, pre-temperature check and checklist, etc.)

- Disinfection of elevator buttons, and attachment of antiviral film

•Establishment of guidelines to prevent the transmission of

the contagious disease

•Closure of public facilities: 64 facilities including camping grounds,

shelters, and visitor centers [Body Temperature Check: Staffs

and Visitors ]

Efforts to prevent staff from being infected with COVID-19

Early Response


Preparation of response scenario for each situation - when a staff contacts with a confirmed patient

- when a staff contacts with a suspicious patient

- when a staff is confirmed

1

Work-at-home (reduction of office

density, 2 shifts at headquarters:

May 15 – the present)

Reinforcement of staff safety

(flexible lunch time, lunch meal

sitting on one side of the table, etc.)

Serious Level: Response

2 3



(mandatory wearing of mask while

working)

4

Special instruction on ‘Social

Distancing’ (Mar. 23 – May 6)

- Untact meeting, banning of

business trips, etc.


(Thorough disinfection)

Serious Level: Response

5 6

Visitor Management

[Monthly Visitors] [Annual Visitors (19.2% decrease)]

→ 19.2% reduction of total visitors

Foreign visitors: 67.5% decline, Visitors to national parks in urban areas:

26.5% increase of the Bukhansan NP, 21% rise of the Gyerongsan NP

Visitor Management

Visitor Health & Safety

Main Activities│Regular meetingMeetings for KNPS Disaster Safety Response Team to prevent and respond COVID-19: 4 times

COVID-19 prevention activities of each officeProducts for infection prevention such as masks, hand sanitizers, thermometers, etc.: 39,351 products at 211 stations COVD 19 prevention guidelines displayed on signboards and banners at the entry of main trails: 5,599 products at 351 stationsInstallation of tapes to segregate visitors at the entry of main trails: 185 installations at 29 stations

Integrated Control RoomRapid collection and delivery of COVID-19 information: 24/7 operation

Management of public facilities in national parks(Feb.24 – May 5) Capacity reduction of accommodations in national parks (restriction) , closure of public facilities used by crowded visitors

Suspension of visitor programs(Feb.24 – Jun.21) Full suspension of face-to face visitor programs

Campaign for social distancing of visitors(Low area _campaign): 2m-distancing campaign at the entry of main trails: 67 stations(High-mid area _ working at base station): Promotion and introduction of ‘2m-distnacing at base station: 103 stations (Trail_ patrol and awareness increase): reinforcement of special patrol on weekends and holidays (the Bukhansan NP, the Dobongsan NP, and the Gyeorongsan NP): 55 patrollers

Visitor Management

[2m-Distancing Floor Tape] [Banner on 2m-Distancing Campaign] [Distribution of masks]

[Campaign at the entry of trails] [Working at the based of high-land] [Distribution of promotional ribbons]

Visitor Management

[Visitor’s body temperature check ] [Visitor’s body temperature check] [2m-Distancing Campaign]

[2m-Distancing Campaign] [2m-Distancing Campaign] [2m-Distancing Campaign]

Visitor Management

[Live broadcasting]

Untact visitor program according to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic

Background│

•Fact-to-face visitor programs were suspended due to COVID-19 outbreak (Feb. 24 – Jun. 21, 2020).

•It’s required to provide active visitor programs for the public to overcome ‘Corona Blues’.

•It’s necessity to develop untact interpretation programs because of restriction on outdoor activities.

Main Activities│

•Online live broadcasts showing visits to national parks

- SNS-based services: environmental education on national parks through real-time ‘Live Talk’

(KakaoTalk), interpretation video (YouTube), and other media contents.

• Untact environmental education

- provision of the video about ecosystems of national parks to educational bodies

•‘Experiential Kit’ used for self-programs of visitors

- Support for visitors who want experiences without interpreters: provision of available

‘Experiential Kit’ to visitors.(the Kit containing 5-6 goods such as a map, a leaflet, a hand-sanitizer,

an experiential manual, and a mission checklist)

[Interpretation contents via Youtube (KNPS TV)]


Social Contribution


•KNPS is required to contribute to preventing COVID-19 transmission and establishing safety nets of local societies.

•As a public authority, KNPS tries to make proactive participation in coexistence, cooperation, and realization of social values.

Main Activities│

•Donation of special fund to support vulnerable groups in the community (5 executives, KRW 10.669M)

•Provision of urgent necessities to self-quarantined people (200 sets, as much as KRW 5M)

•Blood donation as COVID-19 makes blood supply difficult (123 participants)

•Cooperation with local governments to utilize KNPS Nature Centers as temporary quarantine and living facilities

- Operation of temporary quarantine and living facilities:

Feb.27 2020 – the present (total 42 tenants)

- Development and implementation of the plan to prevent

the infectious disease at a nature center to secure the safety of employees

(contact minimization, self-quarantine/disinfection,

and safety and health training of employees, etc.)[Support of urgent necessities][Participation in blood donation]


Giving hands to farmers and fishermen to overcome COVID-19


• Lack of village workers around national parks due to ageing

• Job market aggravated by COVID-19

• KNPS staffs and volunteers helped the local farmers in national parks as social contribution activities

Main Activities│

•Nationwide survey on the shortage of workers in rural and fishing villages within national parks

•Survey respondents:18 national park offices (including the Jirisan NP and the Bukhansan NP) which presented the situation of workers

in shortage

- including the period, place and the number of workers in need

•Grasp on volunteers’ pools who can be mobilized by each national park

- over 1,000 volunteers of 18 NP offices, total 29 times of volunteer activities

(May – Nov.)

•From May on, each NP office supports volunteers for local residents.

[Dadohaehaesang NP: support of harvest]

[Bukhansan NP: rice seedling support ]


Drive-thru farmer’s market within national parks

Background│

•It’s needed to provide a market for agricultural products to help farmers in national parks who lost their sales channels in the aftermath

of COVID-19 pandemic.

•It also pursues to minimize the contact between farmers and consumers to prevent mutual infections.

Main Activities│

•Overview

- Period: (1st round) May 2 – 5, 2020 / (2nd round) May 23 – 24, 2020

- Venue: the entrance to the Bemsagol valley within the Jirisan National Park

- Operator: (1st round) 26 people including local residents and volunteers /

(2nd round) 20 including local residents and volunteers

- Products: Honey harvested in Mt. Jirisan, wild vegetables and herbs, etc.

- Method: joint sale of farmers selling products at 10% cheaper than market price

•Outcomes: over 2,0000 customers – KRW 4 million income

- (1st round) over 1,5000 customers , KRW 3 million income / (2nd round) 500 customers, KRW 1 million

[Promotion of agricultural products][Drive-thru market]


Support for local residents in national parks


•Residents within national parks have difficulty responding to the disaster at an early stage due to its demographic and location

characteristics (aging society and remote areas).

•KNPS tried to provide local residents with relief or hygiene products to prevent transmission of COVID-19 in their communities.

Main Activities│

•Provision of relief and hygiene products to residents within national parks

- (1st) 27 NP offices, 188 villages (priority on vulnerable groups)

: Hygiene products (hand sanitizer, hand cleaner, disinfectant spray,

and mask), and relief products (instant noodles, etc.)

- (2nd) 24 NP offices, 185 villages (priority on vulnerable groups)

: Relief products (rice, bottled water, instant noodles, toilet paper, etc.),

and hygiene products (mask, and hand cleaner)[Support of relief products][Support of hygiene products]

Business Management

[TF Team Meeting (May 28)][Kick-Off Meeting (May 21.)]

Advisory (2 experts)

Policy

Planning & Budget Dept.Research Institute

Visitor

Visitor Management Dept.Partner-ship Dept.

Management

Park Conservation Dept.Park Management Dept.

T/F Team Chief(Executive director of planning)

Post COVID-19 TF Team


•A park management plan urgently needed to actively and proactively respond to rapidly-changing society triggered by COVID-19.

Main Activities│

•Development of preemptive measures to manage national parks in the era of post COVID-19

- KNPS conducted a questionnaire survey to come up with its tasks for post COVID-19 response.

- KNPS operates the Post COVID-19 TF Team (May 21 – mid July, 2020): TF team members (internal: 8 staffs, external: 2 experts).

Business Management

Measures for infection prevention in case of collective education & utilization of untact education


•It’s required to prevent trainees from being affected by corona virus while providing stable education.

Main Activities│

•Operation of education programs according to the alert level on the infectious disease

- (Alert level) education after implementation of measures to prevent the contagious disease

- (Serious level) delay of education or online education enabling minimum trainees to participate in

•Expansion of online education

- Untact education via real-time online education

- Expansion of job training by utilizing KNPS cyber education center

(reflection of new contents)

- Production and use of training contents on KNPS’ unique jobs

[Education on social distancing][COVID-19 symptom checklist (prior to education)]

Business Management

[ KNPS hub page]Screenshot (LAN-based Travel to National Parks)

Consolidation of communication with the public


•KNPS needs to promote COVID-19 related recommendations actively to achieve social consensus and to encourage the public to

fulfill them.

•KNPS makes real-time communications with the public about the current national parks (image, photo, etc.) through SNS

Main Activities│

•Various events to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic (total 5 events, 2500 participants)

- the event to share the tips to prevent the disease, the cheering-relay event, promotion on social-distancing,

participation in Thank You Challenge, the event to share the reviews on social-distancing, etc.

•(Popular contents at a glance) KNPS hub-page to provide contents

- KNPS hub-page within the government homepage for the people to acquire the insight

on the COVID-19 related information contents easily(LAN-based Travel to National Parks)

•(Various untact contents) Healing camp, Trekking, VR

- Various untact contents for the people to enjoy a nature as if they are actually experiencing it

Business Management

[Korea National Park(KNP) Healing Camping] [Real-time Image on KNPs] [Winners of KNP Photo Contest]

[KNP Trekking] [KNP Interpretation at home] [KNP VR]

Business Management

Establishment of smart work environment (digitalization) for COVID-19 response


•It’s needed to increase untact activities to minimize the contacts between workers.

•Employees are encouraged to work from home to reduce office density due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

•Measures are developed to secure the continuity of operating and managing information systems to respond surge of the novel

corona virus and prolongation of the pandemic.

Main Activities│

•Stable environment for ‘work from home’ by improving the E-approval system at home

Increase of E-approval licenses: 1,300 →3,000 people (maximum accounts)

•Support for tele video conferences for untact meetings between workers

Increase of users who use tele-video conferencing systems: 1,604 →3,477 (216%)

•Establishment of measures to secure continuity of operation

and management of systems to prepare for surge of confirmed cases

[Tele-video conference][Monitoring on E-approval system ]

Operation Check


•In response to spike of COVID-19, KNPS tries to check the adequacy of measures to improve working environment and prevent

transmission of the virus.

•As the national disaster situation continues, the role of audit office is switched to support proactive administration services.

Check on COVID-19 response activities and support of proactive administration

Main Activities│

•Improvement of working environment and employee management

- Review on the status of work from home and the compliance with working guidelines

- Enhancement of institutional foundations and working environment

according to ‘work from home’

•Site management in accordance with ‘social distancing’

- Check of site management based on the infection prevention guidelines

•Proactive administration for revitalization of local economy

- Collection of complaints from local offices and support of solution[Disinfection of park facilities such

as camping sites][Body temperature check:

visitors and employees]

ⅣCOVID19 in RoK

POST COVID-19OUR TASK


[Questionnaire survey on KNP visitors about Post COVID-19 outbreak ]

│Overview│

8 national parks (mountain, historic, and coastal NPs) / 1,100 visitors / May 23 - 26

│Results│

(Awareness Change) Increase of the awareness on personal health including

contacts, hygiene, and safety

(Type of visitors) From big group to family or small group, increased preference for

lowland trekking

(Demand for Improvement) Demand for strengthening the areas directly related to

personal health such as hygiene and disinfection

In the aftermath of COVID-19

pandemic, it’s required to

change working environment

significantly by considering job

characteristics.

Proactive response is required

in the era of New-Normal (new

standards) shifting from offline

to online, even to a digital

society.

Big Group Family or Small group Alone

[Change of Visitor Type]

Before COVIDAfter COVID

Before COVIDAfter COVID

Visitor Programs & Experiential Activities

Mountain Climbing

Appreciation of Cultural Assets

Camping & StayIn Lowland

Landscape Appreciation & Lowland Trekking

[Change of Visitor Activities]


(Park Use) LAN-based Visit to Park at home, and 2m-distancing of visitors

[LAN-based Visit to Park ] VR or YouTube programs for people to appreciate

landscapes of a national park and enjoy nature interpretation programs

without actual visit

POST COVID-19

[2m-Distancing] Encouragement of visitors to keep 2m-distance in national

parks by using mobile phones and CCTVs (automatic guide broadcasting)

[Expected Benefits] Various untact contents for visitors, minimizing the

contacts between visitors and meeting the demands of people, which increases

the satisfaction of the people


(Park Management) Digitalization of park management including AI and Drones

[AI] Introduction of AI analysis systems to park management to control illegal

facilities and manage wild animals

POST COVID-19

[Drone] Expansion of Drones for visitor safety management and control of

illegal activities

[Expected Benefits] Introduction of new technology such as AI and drones to

improve the effectiveness of workers and lay the foundations to spread

relevant industries to the private sector and overseas countries


(Green New Deal) KNP Healing Zone connecting the park and local communities

[Eco-Healing Zone] Establishment of eco-healing environments within national

parks for “Safe Forest, Comfortable Rest” (6 representative NPs)

POST COVID-19

[Expected Benefits]

-Economic Benefit : job creation for 3,701 people (short-term job: 2,771 /

sustainable job: 300), economic riffle effect: more than KRW 18 trillion

-Socio-cultural Benefit : Incubation of social enterprises participated by local

residents Foundation for local regeneration of 20 underdeveloped areas in

6 national parks

-Environmental Benefit : Reduction of CO²emission – 8.7M ton CO²/year

korea national park service(knps) response case

Documents