"Secrets of Nurses" Nurse Vaccinated by President Moon Faces Threats and Mockery

President Moon's Vaccination Sparks 'Injection Swap' Allegations on SNS
Threats and Mockery Targeting Nurse at Jongno-gu Health Center Continue
Health Authorities Respond: "False Posts Contrary to Facts, Coordinating with Police"

The YouTube channel 'Garoseuro Research Institute' uploaded a video that seemed to mock a nurse from the Jongno-gu Public Health Center in Seoul who received the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine from President Moon Jae-in. / Photo by YouTube capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] It has been confirmed that a nurse belonging to the Jongno-gu Public Health Center in Seoul, who administered the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine to President Moon Jae-in, has been receiving threatening phone calls, raising expectations of a scandal.

Amid suspicions circulating mainly on online communities that the vaccine President Moon received was 'switched,' some groups and individuals have demanded the nurse to 'reveal the truth.' Some YouTube channels even uploaded mocking videos targeting this nurse. The quarantine authorities have refuted these suspicions and requested an investigation by the police.

Earlier, President Moon and his wife completed their first dose of the AZ vaccine at the Jongno-gu Public Health Center at 9 a.m. on the 23rd. The vaccination process of President Moon and his wife was also made public through videos filmed on-site.

Regarding the video, some online communities raised the so-called 'syringe switching' suspicion. One netizen posted on that day, "The nurse drew the vaccine with a syringe whose cap was open, then went behind the partition, and a syringe with the cap closed came out," suggesting that the nurse who administered the vaccine might have switched the AZ vaccine with another vaccine. As this post spread across various communities and social networking services (SNS), the controversy grew.

According to multiple media reports, afterward, some groups and individuals contacted the Jongno-gu Public Health Center and threatened the nurse, saying things like "You must make a conscience declaration," and "If you don't speak properly, we won't leave you alone."

It is also reported that some online communities exposed the nurse's personal information, including her address.

President Moon Jae-in received the AZ COVID-19 vaccine at the Jongno-gu Public Health Center in Seoul on the morning of the 23rd. / Photo by Yonhap News

The conservative-leaning YouTube channel 'Garosero Research Institute' (Gaseyeon) sparked controversy on the 24th by posting a video seemingly mocking the nurse. The thumbnail of the video posted by the channel included phrases under the faces of President Moon and the nurse such as "Her sweet needle piercing my soft arm," "Skilled nurse," and "The nurse's secret."

As the controversy grew, the quarantine authorities directly refuted the syringe switching allegations.

Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Quarantine General Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, explained at the COVID-19 briefing that day the reason for taking out a syringe with a capped needle during the vaccination of President Moon and his wife was "a very common practice in medical settings," adding, "If the syringe needle is exposed while moving after drawing the vaccine from the vial, the risk of contamination increases."

He added, "Since there is also a risk of needle sticks, it is common sense to move while blocking all risks."

Ko Jae-young, spokesperson for the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), said at a press briefing held at the KDCA in Osong, Chungbuk, "We have confirmed false posts on online communities claiming that the vaccine was switched or other untrue information," and "We plan to respond together with the National Police Agency."

He continued, "Because it could cause anxiety and confusion about vaccination, we requested an investigation by the police and have been informed that a preliminary investigation has begun."

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