Assemblyman Kim Won-i: "Leaders of Gwanghwamun Rallies, Including Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon, Must Be Held Accountable"

Health Insurance Corporation President: "Plan to Expand Subrogation Claims After Assessing Damage Scale"

Won-i Kim, Member of the National Assembly (The Democratic Party of Korea, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] On the 20th, during the National Assembly inspection related to the National Health Insurance Service by the Health and Welfare Committee, a claim was raised by Kim Won-i, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea and National Assembly member for Mokpo City, Jeonnam, that it is necessary to impose additional claims for damages and aggravated punishment against Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church, who is considered to have played a major role in the August 15 Gwanghwamun rally and caused a significant resurgence of COVID-19.

Kim Yong-ik, the chairman of the National Health Insurance Service, who responded to the inquiry, said, “We will actively review and find a way.” The National Health Insurance Service has filed a claim for damages amounting to 560,808,060 KRW against Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church.

The reason for the claim is based on violations of Article 18, Paragraph 3, Items 1 to 3 of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, including submission of false data, obstruction of epidemiological investigations, and violation of the Seoul Mayor’s “assembly restriction” order under Article 49 of the same law, which was judged to have caused the spread of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

In response, Assemblyman Kim Won-i pointed out that so far, 647 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been linked to the Gwanghwamun rally, and 1,173 confirmed cases are related to Sarang Jeil Church, which led the rally. He argued that the claim of approximately 560 million KRW by the National Health Insurance Service is too small compared to the social and economic damages suffered by the Korean people.

Furthermore, Assemblyman Kim insisted that additional claims for damages are necessary against Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon and other rally leaders, as well as those who intentionally obstructed investigations, gave false testimony, or spread false information during the COVID-19 infection spread process.

Chairman Kim Yong-ik responded, “Once the investigation into the COVID-19 spread caused by the Gwanghwamun rally is completed, we plan to expand the claims for damages.”

He also stated that additional claims for damages are being considered for other cases that influenced the spread of COVID-19, such as Shincheonji Church, besides Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon.

Over the past five years, the National Health Insurance Service has filed a total of 73,317 claims for damages amounting to 142 billion KRW for various reasons. However, this is the first time claims have been filed related to infectious diseases, which did not occur even during the MERS outbreak in 2015.

Meanwhile, since the outbreak of COVID-19 until August, diagnostic testing costs alone have amounted to 56.4 billion KRW, and hospitalization and treatment costs have reached approximately 81.5 billion KRW.

Considering the diagnostic testing and treatment costs since mid-August, when the COVID-19 resurgence including the Gwanghwamun rally began in earnest, this amount is expected to increase significantly.

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