Nursing Association "No Comfort for Medical Staff"... Urges President Moon to Stop Threatening Nurses Vaccinated Against COVID-19

"Regarding the 'Vaccine Switching' Allegation: 'Normal Behavior of Medical Professionals'
'Legal Action Will Be Taken If Threats and Mockery Against Nurses Do Not Cease'"

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

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] The Korean Nurses Association (KNA) has urged the public to stop doxxing, verbal abuse, and threats directed at the nurse responsible for administering President Moon Jae-in's COVID-19 vaccination.

On the 29th, the KNA issued a statement saying, "If the threats and ridicule against the vaccination nurse do not cease, we will protect the nurse through all means, including legal action."

The KNA also refuted allegations that the nurse had 'switched' the vaccine before administration, stating, "All actions of the nurse, including vaccination movements, routes, and recapping (putting the cap back on), are normal behaviors of healthcare professionals based on infection control knowledge."

They added, "Such inhumane behavior of doxxing, verbal abuse, threats, and ridicule based solely on unverified suspicions cannot be tolerated for any reason," and warned, "The Korean Nurses Association will never overlook actions that damage the morale and self-esteem of nurses who have been mentally and physically exhausted from dedicating themselves to protecting the lives and safety of the public on the front lines of COVID-19 for one year and two months."

President Moon Jae-in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine at the Jongno-gu Public Health Center in Seoul / Photo by Cheong Wa Dae

Earlier, on the 23rd, President Moon and his wife received the COVID-19 vaccine developed by British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca (AZ) in collaboration with Oxford University at a public health center in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

The vaccination process was broadcast as a recorded video, but some netizens raised suspicions of a 'vaccine switch' regarding the footage.

One netizen posted on an internet community, "The syringe with the cap open was used to draw the vaccine, then behind the partition, a syringe with the cap closed appeared," suggesting that the nurse who administered the vaccine might have switched the AZ vaccine with another vaccine. This post spread across various communities and social networking services (SNS), escalating the controversy.

Some conservative groups reportedly verbally abused the nurse from Jongno-gu who vaccinated President Moon.

According to multiple media reports, some organizations and individuals contacted the Jongno-gu public health center, threatening the nurse with statements such as "You must make a conscience declaration," and "If you don't speak properly, you won't be left alone."

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

Additionally, some online communities exposed personal information such as the nurse's address, and the conservative-leaning YouTube channel 'Garosero Research Institute' (Gaseyeon) posted a video mocking the nurse the following day (the 24th), sparking further controversy.

The thumbnail of the video posted by the channel showed phrases under the faces of President Moon and the nurse, such as "Her sweet needle piercing through my soft arm," "Skilled nurse," and "The nurse's secret."

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