CIVIC GROUPS MAKE HAND-MADE MASKS

[Anchor Lead]

Civic groups in the city of Osan, Gyeonggi-do Province, are making handmade masks to help alleviate severe shortages of protective masks. they are making some 60,000 masks to be distributed to schools ahead of the new semester.

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​People donning protective suits in a narrow space are busy sewing masks. They attach mask filters one by one. The finished products will be donated to schools in Osan city, Gyeonggi-do Province. The volunteers work day and night to make sure every child has a mask when the new school year begins.

[Soundbite] KIM YU-JUNG(CEO OF MASK PRODUCING COMPANY) : "We leave the office at 12:30 a.m. and return to work at 5 a.m. We hope our masks will help children stay safe from the coronavirus."

The goal is to make 62-thousand masks. Already, more than 50-thousand masks have been made in the past two weeks. Osan University also joined the mask-making campaign. The institute provided classrooms and sewing machines to volunteers. Dozens of volunteers including students' parents are helping to make face masks.

[Soundbite] KWAK SANG-WOOK(OSAN MAYOR) : "Everyone is having a hard time now. But we must pull together do what we can to help our communities stay safe."

The Osan City government plans to distribute 10-thousand masks to more vulnerable groups, including the elderly. There are also plans to produce smaller masks for infants.