What Do You Think About President Moon's Remarks on "Division" vs "Political Slander"?

Hataekyung "President Moon is causing too much division among the people"
Jung Cheong-rae "What wrong is there with a president who encouraged?"
Gominjung "Why has our society become so extreme?"
Noh Young-min, Presidential Chief of Staff "Expressed gratitude to doctors multiple times"

President Moon Jae-in is presiding over a senior secretaries and aides meeting at the Blue House on the 31st of last month. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] On the afternoon of the 2nd, President Moon Jae-in posted on Facebook expressing sympathy for the hard work of nurses, saying, "They have to bear the burden of doctors who are on strike," which has sparked criticism that he was indirectly criticizing the doctors participating in the strike. There are even accusations that the president is deliberately creating conflict by 'dividing' doctors and nurses.

On the other hand, some argue that such criticism is a form of confirmation bias. The president was simply sending a message of support to nurses who are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but some claim it is politically stirring up conflict.

Confirmation bias refers to the phenomenon of only seeing what one wants to see and believing only what one wants to believe. It is unrelated to the objectivity of information. Ultimately, it is viewed as a kind of political attack against President Moon.

On that day, President Moon posted on Facebook, "I extend my deep gratitude and respect to the nurses who are silently holding the medical frontlines left by residents and other doctors." He continued, "They are fighting a long battle against COVID-19, and it must be difficult and challenging, especially since they have to bear the burden of doctors who are on a long-term strike."

He also added, "Due to the medical service gaps, patients are experiencing greater inconvenience, and nurses have to endure criticism and verbal abuse. Thinking about the nurses who suffer from poor working conditions, increased workload, and emotional labor is truly heartbreaking."

Photo by Moon Jae-in, captured from Facebook

President Moon particularly wrote, "During the recent heatwave, the heartbreaking news that medical staff at outdoor screening clinics could not take off their protective suits and were collapsing touched the hearts of the people. Although they were referred to as medical staff, the public knows well that most of them were nurses."

However, statements such as "having to bear the burden of doctors who are on strike" and "although referred to as medical staff, most were nurses" in relation to COVID-19 response became problematic in political circles. While the message was one of support for nurses, it was criticized as indirectly criticizing doctors.

The opposition party immediately criticized it as 'dividing' the groups. On the same day, Kim Eun-hye, spokesperson for the People Power Party (the new name for the former United Future Party), said in a verbal statement, "If you start dividing doctors and nurses, who will you turn against next?" She continued, "The president divides the devoted 'medical staff'?those three short syllables?into divisive language of doctors and nurses," repeatedly condemning him.

Ha Tae-kyung, a member of the People Power Party, also wrote on Facebook that day, "President Moon is sowing discord among the people excessively," and claimed, "He is inciting civil war between doctors and nurses by opposing the Moon Jae-in administration's medical policies." He said, "Doctors and nurses are one team," adding, "Hospitals would have to close if only nurses were present, and there is no hospital that can exist with only doctors without nurses."

He further criticized, "Yet, during this COVID-19 emergency, the president posted messages that sow discord and provoke fights between doctors and nurses," and asked, "Does President Moon want to become a third-rate president by choosing discord over unity between doctors and nurses?"

Jeong Cheong-rae, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker [Image source=Yonhap News]

Amid the intensifying controversy over 'dividing' groups due to President Moon's remarks, Jeong Cheong-rae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out on his Facebook post, "If you don't know, just stay quiet. There are people picking fights with President Moon who comforted the hard work of nurses." He added, "What fault does the president have for comforting and encouraging the nurses working hard on the frontlines of quarantine?"

Go Min-jung, also a Democratic Party member, wrote on her Facebook on the 3rd, "There is a fuss about President Moon's message of thanks to nurses being called divisive. I was surprised to see it could be interpreted that way," and noted, "All media reported the content, but the hand extended by the president has become an awkward situation."

Go said, "Why has our society become so extreme? When someone reaches out to a person collapsed on the street, people get angry asking what the intention is," adding, "Pretending not to see even when you do see. Should we just pass by when someone is hurt? Is it so difficult to simply be grateful for someone's dedication and accept that gratitude at face value?"

Summarizing the arguments of Jeong and Go, the president's words encouraging nurses working hard on the COVID-19 frontlines are being politically attacked as publicly criticizing doctors participating in the strike or as 'dividing' groups.

Public opinion is divided. Kim, a company employee in his 40s who said he checked related news, emphasized, "The president's words and actions are all political. Those who say it was simply 'encouragement' are actually political. I see it as a public criticism of doctors."

On the other hand, Park, a worker in his 30s, said, "It was merely a message of sympathy for nurses' hard work," and added, "I don't think terms like dividing or splitting apply here. I see it as just a political opinion."

Meanwhile, the Blue House dismissed the related controversy. They stated there was no intention to take sides between doctors and nurses or any political motive. Presidential Chief of Staff Noh Young-min appeared before the National Assembly's Steering Committee on the afternoon of the 2nd and responded to People Power Party lawmaker Park Dae-chul's question, "The president again divided sides today. He said, 'Doctors are regrettable, but nurses are devoted,' dividing sides again. He is dividing the people like this," by saying, "So far, the president has expressed gratitude to doctors many times."

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