[ti:Coronavirus Changes South Korean’s Thanksgiving Traditions] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]The coronavirus forced 84-year-old Chung Seong-ran [00:06.16]to do something new to celebrate South Korea's Thanksgiving holiday. [00:13.28]This year, her daughter will not come to visit her during the holiday, [00:18.64]which is called Chuseok. [00:21.60]Instead, Chung sent a video message to her daughter for the first time in her life. [00:28.72]A government worker helped her learn how. [00:32.08]"Please, always wear masks and be vigilant! [00:35.76]Mommy is eating well and doing fine at home. [00:39.24]I only worry about you. I love you," Chung said in the 15-second video. [00:46.20]The Chuseok autumn holiday begins September 30. [00:51.68]This year, many South Koreans are observing it differently than in past years. [00:58.64]Usually, millions of people travel to visit their hometowns. [01:03.36]But health officials have for weeks urged people [01:07.52]not to travel during the three-day holiday. [01:10.92]They say that increased movement could spread the virus [01:15.04]and threaten South Korea's gains against COVID-19. [01:20.52]A rise in cases in the Seoul area in mid-August and September [01:25.88]forced officials to strengthen social distancing and other measures. [01:31.80]The 38 new cases reported Tuesday [01:35.36]were South Korea's lowest daily increase in about 50 days. [01:40.56]"We'd like to ask everyone to build family bonds [01:44.68]and say hello to each other in a non-contact manner [01:49.40]during this year's Chuseok for the safety of your families and all of us," [01:56.00]Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said at a recent virus meeting. [02:01.48]"We can have video calls with each other [02:04.28]or use video conferencing for family gatherings." [02:09.08]It is unclear how much Chuseok celebrations [02:12.88]might affect South Korea's outbreak. [02:15.92]Recent opinion studies of people living in the wider Seoul area [02:21.24]showed that most are not planning to visit family. [02:25.76]But tens of thousands of tourists are expected to visit [02:29.72]the southern vacation island of Jeju. [02:33.00]About 95 percent of the rooms [02:36.40]at six major hotels on the east coast [02:40.08]are already full, tourism officials say. [02:44.96]The government's anti-virus measures during this year's Chuseok [02:49.56]include a ban on eating at restaurants at highway rest areas. [02:54.80]The government also has put plastic barriers at outdoor tables there. [03:01.28]It also will charge people money who are driving on national expressways. [03:06.84]The charges are usually suspended during the holiday. [03:12.24]In many rural areas, large signs calling for fewer family gatherings [03:18.20]during Chuseok have been hung along streets. [03:22.32]A sign in the central city of Cheongju reads, [03:26.04]"Let's mark this Chuseok with online pilgrimages [03:31.12]to ancestral graves and the sending of heartfelt gifts." [03:36.44]In the southeastern town of Uiseong where Chung lives, [03:41.16]workers were sent to help hundreds of older people [03:44.40]record and send video greetings to family members in far-away places. [03:51.04]Many live alone and most do not have smartphones. [03:56.12]So, the workers used their phones to take videos [03:59.96]and send messages to their loved ones. [04:03.32]Kang Myoung Suk is Chung's daughter. [04:07.08]She said that when she received her mother's message, [04:10.96]she "felt really happy to see my mom on video [04:15.00]as I had been only able to hear her voice on the phone." [04:19.92]I'm Ashley Thompson. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM