"Unable to Attend Husband's Funeral" - A COVID-19 Patient's Story Shared by Ahn Cheol-soo

'Doctor couple' Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People Party (right), and his wife Professor Kim Mi-kyung are heading to the protective gear dressing room on the morning of the 9th at Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital, a regional base hospital for COVID-19 in Daegu, to volunteer for medical treatment. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, who is volunteering at a COVID-19 regional base hospital in Daegu, shared the story of a COVID-19 confirmed patient he met during medical care.

On the 9th, during a video conference of the People’s Party Supreme Council, Ahn said, "I met a female patient last week."

According to Ahn, when he asked the patient, "Where do you feel discomfort?" she replied, "My chest feels very, very tight."

Judging it as a COVID-19 symptom, Ahn asked, "Is breathing uncomfortable? Do you have any pain?" The patient answered, "No, it’s because my husband died yesterday."

The patient said, "After we both contracted the same disease (COVID-19), we were hospitalized in different hospitals, but I received news that he died yesterday," and added, "Since then, my chest has been tight and I don’t know what to do."

She continued, "If the body is cremated, I won’t be able to see my husband’s face again. Because I am not recovered from the illness, I cannot attend the funeral," and said, "Who can I complain to about this heartbreaking situation?"

Ahn said, "I was at a loss for a while," and added, "What words could possibly comfort her?"

He then said, "Being together at a site where pain and death are right before my eyes made me rethink what the role of the state is," and "In such a situation, I could not help but ask what politics should really do."

He continued, "I want to ask whether, even at this moment, the country really has to be divided and fight, and whether those in power and those trying to take that power have ever responsibly considered the nation’s responsibilities and roles even once."

Ahn added, "The capability of a nation is reflected in the capability of its government. An incapable government creates an incapable nation," and "I will think about where the true place of politics is in a national crisis and share my organized thoughts with the people."

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