Hasty 'Belated Measures'... Criticism Grows Over 'Government Missing Response Timing'

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is delivering a speech at the Expanded Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting for COVID-19 response held on the 21st at the Seoul Situation Center of the Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room in the Government Seoul Office Building, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] The government designated Daegu and Cheongdo in Gyeongbuk, where community transmission of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) began, as "Special Infectious Disease Control Zones" on the 21st. Subsequently, it decided to mobilize all available means at the pan-government level, including hospital beds, personnel, and equipment, and reported this to President Moon Jae-in at the Blue House that morning. However, there are also criticisms that the government's measures may have missed the opportunity for proactive response. It is pointed out that the COVID-19 infection has already spread uncontrollably nationwide, creating gaps in the quarantine system, and the government is hastily issuing belated countermeasures. Moreover, the government did not even mention raising the infectious disease crisis alert to the highest level, "Severe." This is interpreted as reflecting concerns that prematurely raising the crisis alert could cause public anxiety, leaving citizens uneasy due to the government's delayed response.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun held an expanded Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting at the Government Complex Seoul that morning with ministers, vice ministers of related ministries, and governors of 17 cities and provinces, stating, "We will designate Daegu and Cheongdo, where confirmed cases have recently surged causing difficulties, as Special Infectious Disease Control Zones and implement extraordinary measures."

Prime Minister Chung added, "The government will provide full support of necessary resources such as hospital beds, personnel, and equipment to the Special Infectious Disease Control Zones," and said, "We will also establish temporary protection facilities for citizens who find self-quarantine difficult by deploying public personnel including military medical staff."

He emphasized, "The cumulative number of patients has exceeded 100, and community transmission has begun in some areas. The government's response direction needs to change according to the evolving situation. While we have focused on blocking domestic inflow until now, we will place greater emphasis on preventing community spread going forward." He also added, "I will expand the ministerial-level meetings I preside over every Sunday to hold 'COVID-19 Pan-Government Countermeasure Meetings' three times a week with ministers and governors."

Prime Minister Chung also mentioned, "We will strengthen the role of the Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters composed of local governments to focus administrative power on overcoming COVID-19," and said, "We will thoroughly inspect medical resources such as public and private hospitals within the region and establish a system to share resources at the national level when local solutions are difficult." He then urged, "I ask all citizens to make efforts together with the government to overcome COVID-19."

However, Prime Minister Chung did not mention raising the infectious disease crisis alert from level 3, "Warning," to level 4, "Severe." It was reported that although an emergency meeting of related ministers was held the previous day to discuss raising the crisis alert, no conclusion was reached.

Political commentator and invited professor at Inha University Graduate School of Policy, Park Sang-byeong, pointed out, "Even in terms of quarantine, responsibilities are divided among several ministries such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, causing confusion and appearing unsettling," and added, "It is especially difficult to identify where the control tower managing patients is." He further noted, "The system that should practically oversee the overall quarantine is not clearly established at present."

Kim Man-heum, director of the Korea Political Academy, also said, "The fact that local governments are responding more proactively than central ministries suggests that the ministries are causing anxiety," and added, "While initially efforts focused on restraining excessive anxiety to minimize economic damage, now quarantine and blocking transmission must be the top priority." He criticized, "In a situation where 50 to 60 confirmed cases increase daily, the Blue House's priority should shift from the economy to quarantine."

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