"Conservative Rally Called Them 'Murderers'... Opposition Criticizes Government Over Minnocho Confirmed Cases"

Noh: "Result of Political Quarantine"
Minnochoeng Opposes "Witch Hunt"

On the afternoon of the 3rd, members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a nationwide workers' rally while occupying the road in Jongno 3-ga, Seoul, demanding a complete revision of the labor law. /Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] The opposition criticized the government for the emergence of COVID-19 confirmed cases at the large-scale rally organized by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), saying, "They wield an 'iron rod' at conservative group rallies, but only a 'cotton swab' at KCTU rallies." They pointed out that the government's attitude toward last year's conservative group rallies and this year's KCTU rally is different.

On the 18th, Lim Seungho, spokesperson for the People Power Party, issued a statement saying, "Despite the KCTU announcing a large-scale rally, the government only made a 'request for restraint,' and even after the rally was held by changing the location unexpectedly, the president only expressed 'regret.'" He criticized, "There was no sign of the government labeling participants of last year's Liberation Day rally hosted by conservative groups as 'murderers.'" Previously, in the same year, Roh Young-min, then Chief of Staff to the President, sparked controversy by calling participants of the August 15 Gwanghwamun rally, which triggered a resurgence of COVID-19, "murderers."

Spokesperson Lim continued, "The government has applied elastic quarantine standards that change depending on the nature of the rally, conducting 'political quarantine' rather than 'livelihood quarantine,'" and questioned, "In the Moon Jae-in administration's constitution, is the freedom of KCTU rallies prioritized over the people's right to health and life?"

Kim Woong, a lawmaker from the same party, targeted former Chief of Staff Roh, saying, "The KCTU calls it a witch hunt," and asked, "Are the participants of the KCTU rally murderers or not? Please answer."

On the afternoon of the 3rd, members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions occupied the road in Jongno 3-ga, Seoul, holding a National Workers' Rally. / Photo by Yonhap News

Won Heeryong, Governor of Jeju and a presidential candidate from the opposition, also criticized the government, saying, "The risk of resurgence caused by the KCTU rally is the result of 'selective political quarantine.'"

On the same day, Governor Won wrote on Facebook, "Only now has the Moon Jae-in government issued an administrative order for diagnostic testing to rally participants. It is too late," and added, "Is the KCTU above the Moon Jae-in government? Why are quarantine standards different only for the KCTU? The quarantine authorities have driven the people into crisis with a 'double standard quarantine' different from last year's conservative group rallies."

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the day, following the first confirmed case from the KCTU on the 16th, two colleagues of the confirmed case tested positive on the 17th. All of them were identified as attendees of the National Workers' Rally hosted by the KCTU on the 3rd. At that time, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and police, concerned about the spread of COVID-19, notified the KCTU of a ban on the rally and sealed off the Yeouido area, the planned rally site, but the KCTU changed the location and proceeded with the rally.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum expressed regret over the rally's continuation on the 17th and requested immediate diagnostic testing for all rally participants. In response, the KCTU said it would accept the administrative order but expressed regret over "some media and political parties' distortion and exaggeration portraying the July 3 rally as the cause of the fourth wave of COVID-19," calling it a "witch hunt" regarding the fourth wave of COVID-19.

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