Ruling Party Removes Masks, Opposition Party Criticizes While Wearing Them

On the morning of the 9th, Lee Nak-yeon, the chairman, is speaking at the first meeting of the Democratic Party of Korea's COVID-19 National Crisis Overcoming Committee held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] The political sphere is showing contrasting attitudes regarding mask-wearing. While the ruling party attended meetings without wearing masks, the United Future Party's entire leadership wore masks.

On the 9th, when the five-day mask distribution system was implemented, the Democratic Party leadership held a meeting of the COVID-19 National Crisis Management Committee at the National Assembly without wearing masks. On that day, Democratic Party leader Lee Hae-chan entered the meeting room wearing a cloth mask but removed it after taking his seat. He said, "To increase the supply of masks, we will request cooperation from all domestic companies capable of producing masks, such as those in the clothing and sewing industries."

Lee Nak-yeon, chairman of the COVID-19 National Crisis Management Committee, apologized, saying, "I apologize to the public for the frustrating days when it was difficult even to secure masks freely."

Initially, the ruling party leadership attended meetings wearing masks but began removing them starting from the 4th. This appears to be related to the mask usage recommendations announced by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). The MFDS recommended that if medical masks are unavailable, cloth masks can be used, and especially in uncrowded outdoor areas or well-ventilated individual indoor spaces, wearing masks is not necessarily required. On the same day, President Moon Jae-in also attended a senior secretaries and aides meeting at the Blue House without wearing a mask.

Sim Jae-cheol, floor leader of the United Future Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 9th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the other hand, the United Future Party held a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on the same day, with all attending members wearing masks. United Future Party leader Hwang Kyo-ahn criticized the implementation of the five-day mask distribution system, saying, "Even a day before the implementation, the scope of proxy purchases was suddenly expanded, causing confusion and hesitation," and added, "If unprepared measures are hastily announced and then patched up, public confusion will only increase."

Sim Jae-cheol, floor leader of the United Future Party, also criticized the government, saying, "Last weekend, the public had to run around trying to buy even one more mask before the five-day system was implemented," and "The mask crisis stems from the government's inconsistent policies and incompetence due to lack of preparation."

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