'Unfortunate Infected Victims' Suffering from 'False and Delayed' Unconscientious Testimonies

COVID-19 Prevention's Another Threat: 'Lies'

COVID-19 testing is being conducted for church members at a church in Buk-gu, Gwangju. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] In Gwangju Metropolitan City, a family of five, including a couple in their 40s and three children in their 20s and teens, recently tested positive for COVID-19. They attended a rally in downtown Seoul on Liberation Day and concealed this fact during the epidemiological investigation by health authorities. The participation in the rally was later revealed through GPS analysis. Their false and delayed statements did not end there. Despite attending church services seven times in the local area from August 16 to 25 after the rally, they lied during the investigation, claiming "we did not go to church and worshipped at home," which led to additional confirmed cases.

Hiding Rally Attendance, Visiting Church but Claiming "Did Not Go"
Authorities and Local Governments Troubled

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 6th, as of the previous day, the cumulative number of COVID-19 confirmed cases related to the Liberation Day rally in downtown Seoul stands at 510. Due to the family who concealed their participation, the number of confirmed cases related to the rally in downtown Gwangju increased to 65, the second highest outside the metropolitan area after Daegu (74 cases). Considering the significant damage caused by false statements that disrupted epidemiological investigations and resulted in numerous confirmed cases, contacts, and self-quarantined individuals, Gwangju City plans to file charges against the family of five and make them bear the social costs incurred.

The government and health authorities are raising social distancing levels and focusing efforts on tracing transmission chains to block the resurgence of COVID-19, but such false and delayed statements are adding burdens to the quarantine system.

Previously, in Gwangju, another man in his 40s who attended the Liberation Day rally in downtown Seoul concealed this fact and falsely claimed he had visited a water play facility (spa) in Naju, Jeollanam-do. Until GPS analysis by authorities revealed this statement was false, the spa, which attracts about 1,000 visitors daily, and the local community were thrown into turmoil over concerns of further transmission. The city also filed charges against this man for violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act.

Medical staff are preparing for testing at the screening clinic of Buk-gu Public Health Center in Gwangju. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Repeated Legal Actions Amid Spread Affecting Innocent Victims
1,630 People Punished or Under Investigation for Violating Infectious Disease Control Act

Due to these obstructive factors delaying epidemiological investigations, sporadic cluster infections are expanding, and confirmed cases with unknown infection routes are appearing in various places. Over the past two weeks, the proportion of "patients under infection route investigation" who could not identify where or with whom they were infected increased from 13.3% (93 out of 703) on July 15 to 22.4% (899 out of 4,008) as of the previous day.

Among confirmed cases whose infection routes have not yet been identified are individuals who normally comply with quarantine rules such as mask-wearing and social distancing but were exposed to existing confirmed patients’ movements due to momentary lapses or unpredictable situations.

Health authorities and local governments are taking successive legal actions against those who cause confusion in epidemiological investigations and harm the community to minimize such "unfortunate infected individuals," resulting in a significant increase in those subject to judicial processing.

According to data recently obtained by Kim Won-i, a member of the Health and Welfare Committee of the Democratic Party representing Mokpo, Jeollanam-do, from the National Police Agency titled "Judicial Processing Status for Violations of the Infectious Disease Control Act since the Outbreak of COVID-19," as of July 26, a total of 1,630 people have been punished or are under investigation for violations including 610 for quarantine violations, 758 for gathering bans, 108 for rally bans, and 132 for obstructing epidemiological investigations. Among them, 922 were sent to prosecution with indictments (12 detained), 76 were sent with non-prosecution opinions, and 632 are currently under investigation.

Rep. Kim stated, "Establishing strict legal order to prevent the resurgence of COVID-19 is the top priority now," and urged, "The police must respond thoroughly on the front lines to antisocial crimes such as quarantine violations and obstruction of epidemiological investigations occurring during this national crisis."

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