Ahn Cheol-soo: "Both COVID-19 Quarantine and Economy Are a 'Total Failure'... President Moon Must Take Responsibility"

"Can We Definitely Receive 44 Million Doses of Vaccine?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, criticized on the 14th regarding the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), saying, “From the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, experts unanimously agreed that ‘you cannot catch both quarantine and economy at the same time.’ However, President Moon Jae-in tried to catch both rabbits and now both quarantine and economy are on the verge of collapse.”

At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Ahn said, “The epitaph of Bernard Shaw, the world-renowned playwright from Ireland, ‘I knew I would end up like this by hesitating,’ suddenly came to mind when looking at the Moon Jae-in administration,” adding, “The greater the authority, the greater the responsibility. If a decision is made by the president’s authority, the president must also bear the responsibility accordingly.”

He pointed out, “On December 9th, just three days ago, the president, who could not even foresee three days ahead, said, ‘Finally, the end of the long tunnel of COVID is in sight with vaccines and treatments.’ How will he explain the current situation where the gates of hell are opening?” and “When was it that we said there were not enough hospital beds for severe patients, and yet it is still like this?”

He continued, “Can we be certain to receive 44 million doses of vaccines? What is the basis for that?” and added, “The president has the responsibility to clearly explain whether our people will have to watch with their fingers crossed while other countries start vaccinating from early next year.”

Ahn said, “Even at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting convened in the worst situation, the concern was more about the ‘success or failure of K-quarantine’ than the economy and quarantine,” and “Above all, what has the president, who was elected to take responsibility, done so far that he now shifts responsibility by saying ‘Please make bold decisions when unavoidable’? It is truly outrageous.”

Ahn stated, “When COVID-19 calms down, the government distributes consumption coupons, and when it spreads, it raises social distancing levels and tells the people to cooperate. Is that all the government has to do?” and “If this continues, the myth of K-quarantine, which was busy praising itself by riding on the dedication of the people and medical staff, should know that it can turn into the fable of the boy who cried wolf.”

Regarding real estate policy, Ahn said, “Appointing a person who has always condemned owning a house or viewing it as an asset as the successor to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is an expression of obstinacy that they will never admit the failure of real estate policy and a declaration of war to push the existing stance even harder,” and sharply criticized, “Do you really not understand why the people are angry at the president’s remark telling them to be satisfied and live even in apartments with a minimum residential area of 13 pyeong?”

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