Kwon Young-jin: "Is it something to boast about going to the US to get vaccines for military personnel that we failed to prepare in advance?"

Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin Participates in Vaccine Inoculation Drill
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Soyoung] Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin sharply criticized the U.S. COVID-19 vaccine support, regarded as an achievement of the Korea-U.S. summit, and President Moon Jae-in's self-praise regarding it.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, Mayor Kwon posted on his Facebook titled "When it comes to vaccines, no means no," stating, "Is it something to be proud of that our president had to go all the way to the U.S. to obtain vaccines that should have been prepared in advance for the soldiers protecting our country? It is something to be ashamed of and reflect upon," strongly criticizing the situation.

He continued, "Nevertheless, the government and ruling party are eager to boast about the achievements of the U.S. visit, and some opposition politicians even flatter themselves as if they played a role. Experts who previously claimed there was no need to rush vaccination are now appearing on broadcasts saying contradictory things," he pointed out.

He also added, "The attitude of the U.S. is uncomfortable and absurd." He wrote, "(The U.S.) has surplus vaccines and is vaccinating travelers, yet the response to the request from the president of an allied country is only 550,000 doses for military personnel. They say this is to avoid giving the Korean government, which has been passive in joint Korea-U.S. military exercises citing COVID-19 spread, a reason to oppose," adding, "This is why we cannot simply thank President Biden."

Photo by Kwon Young-jin, Mayor of Daegu, Facebook capture

He said, "Our country's vaccine quarantine faces two problems. One is supply shortage, and the other is public distrust, both of which are the government's responsibility," and criticized, "Isn't it true that vaccine supply was delayed and insufficient?"

He continued, "There was even a time when first-dose vaccinations were halted for a while due to problems in the vaccination front. Yet, the quarantine authorities only say things are going well without issues. The public cannot accept this," and lamented, "Distrust in the government leads to distrust and refusal of vaccination. Although the field is doing its best, it is not easy, so I am worried."

He then said, "I hope from now on the government approaches the public honestly. Admit what was wrong, acknowledge what was lacking, and reflect on mistakes; only then can there be progress and restoration of public trust," adding, "Driving away critics, insisting there are no mistakes, or only self-praising does not change facts or solve problems."

Finally, he emphasized again, "The key is vaccine supply and public trust," and said, "We all must go all-in on this."

Earlier that morning, Mayor Kwon also posted a message titled "Our Shameful Vaccine Self-Portrait," criticizing, "This is not an achievement to boast about but something to be ashamed of and reflect upon."

He raised his voice, saying, "How did we become a country that is grateful to receive 550,000 doses of vaccines for our military personnel from the U.S.? Thoughtless politics, incompetent government, cowardly experts!"

Meanwhile, on the same day, President Moon expressed gratitude in a post on his Facebook, saying, "It was the best overseas trip and the best summit," and "The U.S. paid a lot of attention to understanding and reflecting our position."

President Moon Jae-in is holding a joint press conference with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on the afternoon of the 21st (local time) after their summit.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

He continued, "The announcement of direct vaccine support following the 'vaccine partnership' was truly a surprise gift," and evaluated, "There was considerable internal opposition questioning why advanced countries like Korea, which has one of the best quarantine and vaccine systems, should be prioritized for support, but the importance of the Korea-U.S. alliance was especially emphasized."

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