Sim Jae-cheol: "Minister Park Neung-hoo is incompetent and even lies... must resign"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] Shim Jae-cheol, floor leader of the United Future Party, urged on the 27th, "President Moon Jae-in must immediately dismiss Park Neung-hoo, the Minister of Health and Welfare, who is incompetent and has even lied."

Shim presided over the Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly that morning and criticized Park's remarks made the previous day at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Park stated, "The biggest cause of the spread of COVID-19 is Koreans who came from China," which sparked public controversy.

He said, "That brazenness is unbearable to witness," and criticized, "The health official shifted the responsibility for the worsening situation onto the people." He added, "Park even lied by saying that the Infectious Disease Society did not recommend a complete ban on entry from all parts of China. President Moon must immediately dismiss Minister Park."

Shim also targeted the Democratic Party of Korea, saying, "Former chief spokesperson Hong Ik-pyo resigned after being criticized for mentioning the lockdown of Daegu and Gyeongbuk, but here again, remarks provoking public anger have emerged." He pointed out that Supreme Council member Park Kwang-on said, "The increase in confirmed cases means the national system is working properly." He criticized, "While the people are anxious due to the government's mistakes, the government claims it is handling the situation well."

He also criticized Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, saying, "He released a video in Chinese saying '우환 짜요 (Cheer up), 중국 짜요 (China, cheer up),' but as the number of confirmed cases rises, Mayor Park, like President Moon, is only sending flattery to China."

Shim said, "While Koreans arriving from Shandong Province, China, are being forcibly quarantined and blocked in many places, President Moon is sacrificing the Korean people to COVID-19 for the sake of Chairman Xi Jinping's visit to Korea," adding, "Instead of alleviating suffering, he is causing pain; instead of wiping away tears, he is making people cry."

He also claimed that the Moon administration suppressed Gyeonggi Broadcasting after a question was asked at President Moon's New Year's press conference in January last year about why the policy direction was not changing. Shim said, "Because the administration was displeased with that question, it forced the broadcaster to shut down by granting only conditional re-approval. As a result, the reporter who asked the question had no choice but to resign, and the board stated that normal management was impossible due to the Korea Communications Commission's interference, leading to the reporter's departure." He added, "I cannot help but lament the current situation where a reporter with 23 years of experience was purged for asking a legitimate question, and the Korea Communications Commission is acting as the Moon administration's bodyguard."

Meanwhile, Hwang Kyo-ahn, the party leader, visited Daegu on the same day to inspect the COVID-19 situation and did not attend the meeting.

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