FAMILIES RECONNECT VIA TECHNOLOGY

[Anchor Lead]

More and more South Koreans are canceling trips to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year’s holiday, due to the gatherings ban of over five or more people. Some of them are sending seasonal greetings to their parents in video messages, instead.

[Pkg]

Song Jeong-hee lives alone in Uiseong-gun County, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. Due to the pandemic, she has to spend the Lunar New Year’s holiday alone, as she did during last year’s Chuseok holiday. With the Lunar New Year just two days away, her daughter sent her a video message.

[Soundbite] Kwon Tae-hee(Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do Prov.) : "I’d like to meet and talk with you while eating meals and drinking tea. Don’t forget to wear a mask wherever you go. Stay healthy."

The elderly mother bursts into tears missing her daughter.

[Soundbite] Song Jeong-hee(Uiseong-gun County) : "Don’t get sick and stay healthy. I miss you. But we cannot meet, I just look at your photos because you can't come."

An affectionate video message arrived from parents in Vietnam for their daughter and son-in-law living in South Korea.

[Soundbite] (Vietnamese woman’s parents) : "I miss you Tao and my son-in-law. Come to Vietnam when the pandemic is over. I will be waiting for you."

Some people have not been able to meet their parents for nearly a year. Dressed in the traditional outfit hanbok, they send video greetings to parents far away.

[Soundbite] Yoon Cha-ok(Daegu) : "I am sending this video message to you mom on this Lunar New Year's day. Thank you, mom. I always love you. Happy New Year."

The Uiseong-gun County office will collect some 100 video messages sent by people to deliver to their parents.

[Soundbite] Yoo In-sook(Uiseong-gun welfare official) : "They often feel lonely. Their children cannot visit them due to the pandemic. They really appreciate our visits and depend on us."

Although they cannot visit their hometowns due to the pandemic, these people have found ways to express their love to their family and celebrate the Lunar New Year’s day together, albeit virtually.