TOKYO– South Korea’s sports minister on Saturday asked his country’s athletes competing in the Tokyo Summer Olympics to take extra caution against COVID-19.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwang Hee, who arrived in Japan on Thursday to attend the Olympics opening ceremony the following day in his capacity as the representative of the South Korean government, visited a meal service center for South Korean athletes to give words of encouragement to nutritionists, chefs and other center staff.

The Tokyo meal center run by the Korean Olympic Committee makes boxed meals for delivery to athletes three times a day.

Hwang also visited the Main Press Center and the International Broadcast Center to encourage South Korean reporters covering the Tokyo Olympics.

“The most important thing to worry about during this Olympics is COVID-19. It is feared that not only the athletes confirmed to be infected but also others who had close contact with those infected will be disadvantaged,” the minister said.

He also voiced hope that South Korean athletes will take the lead in comforting and uniting all people at home who have long suffered from the coronavirus pandemic.

Source: Yonhap News Agency