Shim Jae-cheol: "'Daegu lockdown' remark, are you saying you will do it like Wuhan... Entry from China must be restricted"

Sim Jae-cheol, floor leader of the United Future Party, is entering the conference room to attend the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 18th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Shim Jae-cheol, floor leader of the United Future Party, who tested negative for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), criticized the government's response and raised his voice, calling for a temporary entry ban on China.

On the 25th, Floor Leader Shim stated in a press release, "Our Republic of Korea has become the world's second-largest COVID-19 outbreak country after China. Excluding the origin country China, our country has gained the stigma of being number one worldwide."

He said, "Not only experts such as the Korean Medical Association but also the United Future Party have repeatedly urged a temporary entry ban on China," and criticized, "The current government measures are like using an umbrella with a hole in the ceiling."

He continued, "Although late, the government must immediately implement a temporary entry ban on China to prevent the spread of community infections," and pointed out, "Political interests with China cannot hold our citizens' lives hostage."

Floor Leader Shim criticized, "The Moon Jae-in administration mentioned countermeasures for the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region and used the term 'Daegu lockdown.' I want to ask whether this means blocking Daegu City like the Wuhan lockdown, and what exactly it means," adding, "The government not only hurt Daegu citizens deeply by using the term 'Daegu COVID' but also uses the phrase 'Daegu lockdown."

He pointed out, "It is natural for the government to do its best to prevent COVID-19 from spreading inside and outside the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, but it should refrain from using terms that may hurt the pride of citizens and residents."

Regarding the mask shortage, he raised his voice, saying, "The public cannot understand at all that masks, the most basic essential item for prevention, are not properly supplied domestically while being exported in large quantities to China," and "Even though it is said that production capacity is not insufficient, the public cannot accept this frustrating reality where masks are not easily available."

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