DRIVE-THRU SYSTEM SPREADS NATIONWIDE

[Anchor Lead]

Korea's drive-thru screening stations have become a trend regardless of industries. Even stores lending books and toys are introducing drive-thru services these days and the public seems to be making the most of them.

[Pkg]

Cars stand in line at a makeshift lending center set up in a parking lot. Theses visitors are here to pick up sterilized toys, booked in advance by phone. Instead of visiting libraries in person, users can borrow toys by making reservations over the phone and picking up the items without leaving their cars. These types of services have become essential for this mother of a five-year-old who has to stay with her child at home all day.

[Soundbite] LEE HYE-JIN(CHANGWON RESIDENT) : "Buying toys every time is expensive, and playing with my child at home all day is not easy. This service is very helpful when you have to stay home with children."

The rental fee can be paid later when the library's operation is normalized.

[Soundbite] BYUN JUNG-SOON(CHANGWON CITY GOVERNMENT) : "Through this service, we want to help users minimize contact with others and save time."

This library was also temporarily closed last month. Recently, it began providing drive-thru lending services. More than a thousand users borrowed some 73-hundred books in just five days from ten libraries operated by the Changwon City government.

[Soundbite] LEE HYUN-SOOK(CHANGWON RESIDENT) : "I used to read books at libraries. It's good to be able to borrow books like this after spending too much time at home."

With social distancing becoming the norm these days, public services are making adjustments to help quell concerns.