Is the COVID-19 Resurgence Due to the 'Gwangbokjeol Rally'? What Do You Think?

Seoul City: Spread Due to 'Gwangbokjeol Rally' 3 Months Ago
"Is This Political Quarantine?", "Blaming Ancestors Too?" Flood of Criticism
Experts: "Baseless Diagnosis Does Not Help Quarantine"

On August 15th, at a rally held in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church is seen speaking. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and Juhee Kang] The Seoul Metropolitan Government stated that the COVID-19 spread is related to the 'Gwangbokjeol Rally' forcibly held by conservative groups at Gwanghwamun Square on August 15. However, it clarified that no clear infection link has been confirmed regarding the recent rally held by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), sparking controversy.

Criticism is also emerging in political circles, suggesting that the intention is to place responsibility on the conservative side during the COVID-19 spread phase. Experts pointed out that associating COVID-19 spread with a specific group without scientific evidence could undermine national quarantine trust.

On the 19th, Seoul analyzed the fact that the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the Seoul area reached triple digits for the first time in 78 days as "the impact of residual infections remaining in the community after the group infection related to the August Gwangbokjeol rally."

Park Yumi, Seoul's quarantine controller, said in an online briefing on COVID-19 that "analysis of confirmed patients' GPS (Global Positioning System) data showed no connection with Halloween or the (KCTU) downtown rally," adding, "We believe that residual infections remaining in the community after large group infections in August and September have led to recent small-scale and multiple group infections."

Park also said, "Considering that recent confirmed cases are mostly among the elderly aged 60 and above, it is difficult to see a practical connection with Halloween and other events."

Park Yumi, Seoul City Quarantine Controller, is announcing the current status of COVID-19 cases in Seoul and the social distancing level 1.5 measures at the Seoul City Hall briefing room on the 18th. Photo by Yonhap News.

However, Seoul's analysis has been met with criticism as an unconvincing diagnosis. This is because some of the new domestic COVID-19 cases have unknown infection routes, and no clear evidence has been presented to show a causal relationship between the Gwangbokjeol rally and the recent resurgence.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, among the 2,604 new confirmed cases from the 6th to the 19th of this month, 411 cases, accounting for 15.8%, are 'infection route unknown' patients whose infection time and place are not identified. The cumulative number of patients with unclear infection routes has been found to exceed 3,500.

Accordingly, Park Neung-hoo, the first deputy head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) and Minister of Health and Welfare, expressed concern at the CDSCH meeting, saying, "As the increase in confirmed cases with unknown infection routes shows, COVID-19 has deeply penetrated daily life, and there is no safe zone anywhere."

Especially considering that the incubation period of the coronavirus is up to 14 days, it is a situation where the possibility of infection related to Halloween and rallies cannot be completely ruled out, leading to criticism that Seoul's analysis lacks credibility.

Criticism also continued in political circles. Kim Geun-sik, chairman of the Seoul Songpa-byeong district of the People Power Party, strongly criticized on his Facebook post that day, saying, "It is the responsibility of the quarantine authorities not to trace small-scale group infection routes, but to claim without scientific evidence that the resurgence three months after the Gwangbokjeol rally is the cause?has politics taken the place of science? Will they keep going back to blame ancestors?"

Hong Kyung-hee, senior deputy spokesperson of the People’s Party, also pointed out in a statement that "While most infectious disease experts cite small-scale group infections within communities as the main cause of the increase, Seoul uniquely speculates and interprets that a rally over three months ago is the cause," adding, "We have no intention of defending the Gwanghwamun rally, but it is excessive witch-hunting for a public institution like Seoul City to make strange interpretations and scapegoat a specific rally."

As the controversy spread, Seoul City issued an explanatory statement that day, saying, "The response was that asymptomatic infected individuals who were not detected in the community due to the aftermath of group infections in August and September remained, and recently these residual infections have appeared as small-scale group infections, leading to an increase in confirmed cases," clarifying, "It did not mean that the increase in confirmed cases was due to the Gwangbokjeol rally."

However, there are concerns that such remarks, which could cause misunderstandings amid the severe domestic COVID-19 spread, might undermine overall trust in quarantine efforts.

Experts pointed out that associating COVID-19 spread with a specific group without scientific evidence can break trust in quarantine.

Kim Woo-joo, professor of infectious diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, "It is hard to understand bringing up the Gwanghwamun rally from almost 100 days ago now," adding, "They need to present the basis for such a judgment, but there is no scientific evidence at all. Careless remarks in a serious situation do not help quarantine."

He continued, "Just as the coronavirus that originated in China is still ongoing in our country and worldwide, we cannot say that the August Gwanghwamun rally had no impact on this spread. However, we also cannot ignore the effects of recent rallies and Halloween," adding, "We should not make baseless claims and point the finger at specific gatherings as the cause of virus spread. That behavior breaks trust in quarantine."

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