"While Urging Social Distancing, Officials Held a Crowded Appointment Ceremony" Appeal... Jung Eun-kyung Apologizes, Saying "I Am Sorry"

"Small Business Owners Are Dying of Exhaustion" Cheong National Petition Appeal
Jung Eun-kyung "Will Be More Cautious and Set an Example"

Jung Eun-kyung, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, is delivering a commemorative speech at the 'Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Opening Ceremony' held at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency in Cheongju, Chungbuk, on the morning of the 14th. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] On the 11th, President Moon Jae-in visited the Emergency Situation Center of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) in Cheongju, Chungbuk, and personally presented the appointment letter to the newly appointed KDCA Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong. However, the event sparked criticism questioning, "Is it acceptable for many people to gather closely at a government event while the public is being asked to practice social distancing?"

On the 13th, a post titled "Small business owners are dying as they are forced to close due to danger, so is it okay for so many people to gather closely like this?" was uploaded on the Blue House's public petition board.

The petitioner referred to the appointment ceremony attended by President Moon, stating, "Watching the news about the president coming down to appoint the elevation of KDCA to an agency, small business owners can understand that," but added, "How should we view the scene where everyone gathers closely without maintaining distance to offer encouragement?"

They continued, "PC cafes are implementing partitions, spaced seating, and following the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters' orders, yet they have no customers and are forced to close, dying out," and criticized, "How should small business owners feel when they see government officials standing tightly packed for a photo shoot?"

They further urged, "Small business owners are currently suffering to the point of exhaustion," and said, "Government officials' work is COVID-19 prevention, and if done well, they deserve praise, but on the other side, many people are experiencing economic and family ruin. Please properly investigate the reality of excessive business suspensions of small business owners and conduct a re-investigation." As of the 14th, the post had received over 600 endorsements.

President Moon Jae-in is conducting the appointment ceremony for Jung Eun-kyung as the inaugural Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency at the Emergency Situation Center of the Disease Control Headquarters in Cheongju, Chungbuk on the 11th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 11th, a day before the elevation of KDCA to an agency, President Moon personally visited KDCA and presented the appointment letter to Commissioner Jeong.

Tak Hyun-min, the Blue House Protocol Secretary, praised the event in a post on his Facebook on the 12th, saying, "An event is not held to highlight someone, but a well-planned event makes someone stand out," and added, "The more you lower authority, abandon formality, and simplify ceremonies, the more authority is enhanced, formality gains empathy, and ceremonies provide emotion. Commissioner Jeong's appointment letter presentation was such an event."

However, the opposition criticized the 'on-site ceremony' as mere showmanship. On the 13th, Lee Jong-bae, Policy Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, commented, "Is this what is needed at this time?" and criticized, "It is an admission that the standard of state affairs is presidential marketing, not the people. Do the people need a photo to mislead public opinion?"

Meanwhile, Commissioner Jeong, after attending the KDCA opening ceremony in Osong, Chungbuk on the 14th, responded to questions about the public petition during the Central Disease Control Headquarters briefing at 2:10 p.m., saying, "Regarding the appointment letter presentation, we proceeded while complying with quarantine rules such as temperature checks, symptom checks, record-keeping, and list creation."

She explained, "Since the location where the appointment letter was presented was the Emergency Situation Room, some staff who were working in that space temporarily participated together."

She added, "I apologize for the pain and sense of disconnect that self-employed people felt when seeing such scenes," and said, "We will be more cautious and strive to set an example in complying with quarantine rules and other related matters."

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