COVID-19 Adds to Challenges... Busan Mayor Park Hyung-jun Halts External Duties After Six Days, One Press Member Confirmed Positive

One Busan City Hall Reporter Trained, About 10 Reporters Self-Quarantined, Some Public Relations Office Executives Also Self-Quarantined

Busan Mayor Park Hyung-jun is greeting former Busan Deputy Mayor Park Sung-hoon at the launch ceremony of the Busan Future Innovation Committee held at Busan City Hall on the 12th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] On the 13th, one reporter from a major national daily who frequents Busan City Hall tested positive for COVID-19, prompting Park Hyung-joon, the mayor of Busan who was in his sixth day in office, to undergo testing and temporarily suspend his numerous external duties from the afternoon.

The press room was temporarily closed, and all 10 or so reporters with access entered self-quarantine.

Mayor Park Hyung-joon underwent a COVID-19 test after it was confirmed that he had been in the same space as the infected individual during a press briefing held at the Busan City Hall press room on the 8th, following his inauguration.

In addition to Mayor Park, some senior officials in the public relations office responsible for media affairs entered self-quarantine, and a significant number of city hall executives also underwent COVID-19 testing, raising concerns about disruptions to city administration.

One of the reporters who attended the briefing held by Mayor Park the day after the by-election showed suspicious symptoms, was tested on the 12th, and received a positive diagnosis on the 13th.

The infected reporter was confirmed positive after being tested following a visit to a pub in Seomyeon, Busan, where a confirmed case had occurred on the 31st of last month.

The briefing was attended by Mayor Park, the deputy mayor, heads of city hall departments and bureaus, and reporters. All attendees wore masks during the briefing.

Accordingly, Mayor Park underwent a rapid diagnostic test in the morning, tested negative, and attended some morning events, but is scheduled to undergo another specimen test.

Mayor Park’s office has not received a separate self-quarantine notice, but it is known that all afternoon schedules were canceled.

With Mayor Park and city hall executives undergoing COVID-19 testing and some possibly entering self-quarantine, the city administration, which had been ambitiously planned from the start of his term, is expected to face setbacks.

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