Lee Nak-yeon "COVID-19 Response Insufficient with Government Supplementary Budget... Additional Reflection Needed"

"Increase Trend Has Slowed, but Group Infections Appear in Seoul and Gyeonggi Metropolitan Areas"
"Firm Measures Against Shincheonji Unavoidable to Prevent Additional Group Infections"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Wondara] Lee Nak-yeon, Chair of the COVID-19 National Crisis Overcoming Committee, stated that an additional supplementary budget bill (supplementary budget) needs to be prepared.

On the morning of the 11th, at the '2nd Party-Government-Civil Service Meeting on COVID-19 Response' held at the National Assembly, Chair Lee said, "I visited Daegu to assess the situation," and added, "It seemed difficult for the crisis on the ground to calm down with only the supplementary budget bill submitted by the government to the National Assembly."

Chair Lee said, "The government should devise special measures to alleviate the financial difficulties of self-employed businesses including those in Daegu and Gyeongbuk, and to ease the management difficulties of transportation, aviation, travel industries, and education and cultural service industries." He also urged, "Our party should also hasten preparations to additionally reflect such measures in the supplementary budget."

Regarding the spread of COVID-19, Chair Lee said, "The increasing trend has somewhat slowed down," but added, "However, cluster infections are appearing in large cities such as Seoul and Gyeonggi. We must not relax our vigilance in quarantine."

He also emphasized a strong response to Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Shincheonji). Chair Lee said, "Many of the additional confirmed cases are still related to the Shincheonji church," and added, "To block further cluster outbreaks, a firm response to Shincheonji is inevitable." He urged, "All related agencies including the prosecution, police, quarantine authorities, and local governments must not hesitate to take necessary measures."

Chair Lee said, "Some create and spread fake news that amplifies public anxiety and dissatisfaction," and added, "I hope investigative authorities block antisocial fake news and severely punish its originators and distributors."

Lee In-young, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "The party will switch to a quarantine support system starting this week, stop routine election campaigns, and actively engage in quarantine support." He continued, "We request the government to consider operating party-government consultations on a permanent basis going forward."

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