Hwang Kyoan: "Complete Entry Ban Needed for All Foreign Nationals Who Have Visited Any Part of China"

Hwang Kyoan, leader of the Liberty Korea Party, and Shim Jaecheol, floor leader, along with other supreme council members, are attending the supreme council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 3rd. Photo by Yoon Dongju doso7@

[Asia Economy, reporter Lee Jieun] Hwang Kyoan, leader of the Liberty Korea Party, criticized the government's response to the novel coronavirus (Wuhan pneumonia) as inadequate and strongly called for a complete ban on the entry of all foreign nationals who have visited any part of China.

During his opening remarks at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on February 3, Hwang stated, "The Wuhan pneumonia crisis is no longer just an infectious disease issue. It is a comprehensive crisis affecting national security, people's livelihoods, and the economy."

He added, "Yesterday, the government announced a ban on the entry of foreign nationals who have visited Hubei Province in China in the past 14 days, but this measure came far too late. We must impose a complete ban on the entry of all foreign nationals who have recently visited any region of China."

He also proposed restrictions on the overseas sale of masks produced in Korea. Hwang said, "Our citizens are outraged that 3 million masks were sent to China. Korean masks should be used by our own people. We should refrain from exporting masks abroad and limit the number of masks that foreign tourists can purchase."

Hwang also warned about the deterioration of the domestic economy and people's livelihoods due to the Wuhan pneumonia outbreak. He said, "Anxiety caused by Wuhan pneumonia is paralyzing the economy and people's daily lives. Streets and shops are empty, various gatherings and events are being canceled one after another, and the impact on tourism and the hospitality industry is devastating. The economic crisis in China is directly translating into an economic crisis for us." In this context, he expressed his intention to pursue measures such as temporary regulatory easing and fiscal support to address the economic impact on people's livelihoods.

Hwang further criticized the Blue House for focusing solely on the establishment of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) even as chaos unfolds due to Wuhan pneumonia. He stated, "In the face of threats to public safety, even the most important state agendas should be set aside to focus solely on overcoming the crisis. However, on January 31, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and Minister Jin Young summoned the responsible officials to urge the establishment of the CIO. While the country is in turmoil over Wuhan pneumonia, the President is distracted by the CIO," he pointed out.

Hwang Kyoan, leader of the Liberty Korea Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 3rd and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dongju doso7@

Floor leader Shim Jaecheol also criticized the government's response, saying, "The number of confirmed Wuhan pneumonia cases in Korea has increased to 15, and there is now a third-generation confirmed case, yet the government continues to respond in a haphazard and belated manner. The government says it will block the entry of foreigners who have visited Hubei Province, but with 30,000 Chinese nationals visiting Korea every day, blocking only Hubei Province is meaningless. The United States, Australia, Singapore, and countries in Central and South America are taking drastic measures, but the Moon administration is only coming up with disappointing responses."

Supreme Council member Cho Kyungtae also said, "In order to alleviate public anxiety, it would be wise to ban entry from all regions of China," and urged, "The Chinese government should also suspend overseas tourism by Chinese nationals to better cooperate with neighboring countries."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.