Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday that the government is deeply sorry for once again forcing small business owners to endure financial woes caused by tighter social distancing. 

Kim made the remark during a joint government briefing on ways to help small business owners as the government plans to put in place stricter regulations from Saturday. 

Kim said the government mobilized all means to come up with additional ways to help these owners, citing that businesses subject to caps on group customers will also be eligible for state COVID-19 compensation.

The prime minister said the government’s decision to impose stricter social distancing rules was inevitable to protect the lives and safety of the public. 

He said the government will exert all-out efforts to induce people to receive vaccinations and secure sick beds to play its part in curbing the spread of the disease in response to cooperation of small business owners.