Moon on Mention of 'Public Authority'... Jeong Cheong-rae "High Public Support Expected"

"'I Heard a Lot of People Say, 'Why Are You So Lethargic?''"

Jeong Cheong-rae, Democratic Party of Korea / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] On the 24th, President Moon Jae-in expressed a strong intention to respond firmly by stating that "the strictness of public authority will be clearly established" regarding acts that interfere with government quarantine activities. In response, Jeong Cheong-rae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "There will likely be strong public support for such remarks."

Jeong appeared on YTN Radio's "Lee Dong-hyung's News Face-off" that day and said, "So far, there have been as many as 356 cases under investigation for violations related to infectious disease prevention, such as violations of gathering restriction orders," adding, "The Liberation Day rally involved a lot of fake news and false information dissemination, which hindered quarantine efforts. Such remarks actually gain credibility among the public."

When the host asked, "Isn't it surprising that President Moon, who was formerly a human rights lawyer, mentioned public authority?" Jeong replied, "On the contrary, there have been many comments asking, 'Why have you been so powerless until now?'"

He continued, "The list of participants in the Liberation Day rally should be identified and tested, but the possibility of an increase in 'blind confirmed cases' has grown, making diagnosis and treatment impossible," adding, "In fact, I think this is a case of serious disruption of national order."

President Moon Jae-in attended the 'Emergency Inspection for Strengthening COVID-19 Prevention Measures in Seoul' held at Seoul City Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 21st, wearing a mask. / Photo by Yonhap News

On the same day, President Moon emphasized the importance of COVID-19 quarantine and stated that acts interfering with government quarantine activities would be dealt with strictly.

At the Blue House senior secretaries' meeting in the afternoon, President Moon said, "If we fail to stop it at this stage, we will have no choice but to raise social distancing to Level 3," emphasizing, "Our country, where the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) emerged, is now facing its greatest crisis."

He continued, "In some parts of our society, there are acts that challenge the national quarantine system, blatantly interfere with quarantine, or refuse cooperation, becoming hotbeds for the spread of COVID-19," adding, "The number of confirmed cases with unknown infection routes is increasing, meaning anyone can be infected with COVID-19, and if we let our guard down even slightly, the number of infections can explode anytime and anywhere. This is a critical moment."

He also stressed, "Religious freedom, freedom of assembly, and freedom of expression cannot be claimed by the people if they cause such enormous harm."

A police officer wearing protective clothing is moving toward the entrance of Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on the 21st to execute a search warrant. / Photo by Yonhap News

President Moon had previously mentioned public authority and urged strict law enforcement against acts that interfere with quarantine activities. On the 21st, at the "Emergency Inspection for Strengthening COVID-19 Quarantine in Seoul" meeting held at Seoul City Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul, President Moon emphasized, "I want the public to clearly see that 'public authority is alive.'"

At that meeting, after an unusual silence of about 10 seconds, President Moon said, "If Seoul's quarantine collapses, the entire country's quarantine will collapse at once," adding, "If there are acts that obstruct epidemiological investigations or quarantine investigations, respond firmly with legal measures not only under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act but also under obstruction of official duties and other criminal laws."

Following President Moon's urging, a search and seizure was conducted that afternoon at Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Intelligent Crime Investigation Unit obtained a search warrant for Sarang Jeil Church, which is suspected of violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, and entered the church around 8:40 p.m., securing lists of church members and visitors, as well as their contact information.

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