Political Circles Engage in Mutual Blame Over COVID-19 Outbreak

Democratic Party: "United Party's Tacit Accomplices"
United Party: "Don't Distort the Facts"

Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon at the Gwanghwamun Rally
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Yoon Dong-jin = On the afternoon of the 15th, Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church is speaking at a rally condemning the government and ruling party held in front of Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Jongno-gu, Seoul. 2020.8.16
mon@yna.co.kr
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[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Choi Hyun-joo] As the nationwide spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) rapidly accelerates following the August 15 Gwanghwamun rally, resulting in a large number of positive cases, the political sphere is engaged in a blame game over the outbreak of COVID-19.

The dispute began on the 21st with a statement from the Democratic Party of Korea's Gyeongnam Provincial Party. On that day, the Democratic Party issued a statement urging the United Future Party's Gyeongnam Provincial Party to "cooperate in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak originating from Gwanghwamun."

In the statement, the Democratic Party described the United Future Party as the "tacit consenters" and "implicit bystanders" of the Gwanghwamun rally, accusing them of being busy scapegoating others.

The Democratic Party said, "What the United Future Party must show is not a political cut-off from Jeon Kwang-hoon and the Taegukgi faction, but the image of a public party protecting the lives and safety of the people." It added, "There have been numerous tip-off calls reporting that United Future Party members and officials from various parts of Gyeongnam attended the rally, and there are even protests and complaints asking why the Democratic Party is leaving them alone."

It continued, "The United Future Party's Gyeongnam Provincial Party is expected to have many party officials attending the rally, so it should identify the current status in accordance with Gyeongnam Province's emergency administrative order, ensure they undergo testing, and comply with the guidelines of the quarantine authorities."

In response to the Democratic Party's statement, the United Future Party's Gyeongnam Provincial Party also issued a statement. The United Future Party threatened to demand apologies, corrections, and legal action through a statement titled "Democratic Party of Korea's Gyeongnam Provincial Party, do not distort the truth with lies."

In the statement, the United Future Party mentioned that there was no official guidance or encouragement at the party level for party members or officials to attend the rally, and fiercely criticized the Democratic Party for packaging unverified facts as truth in a shallow ploy to shift the blame for the COVID-19 spread onto the United Future Party.

The United Future Party said, "This is the time to unite efforts for quarantine measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19," and condemned, "Stop the political offensive that tries to shift the responsibility for the COVID-19 spread onto the United Future Party with fabricated facts immediately."

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