"Something Had to Burst" Outrage... Large-Scale Spread Feared at Democratic Labor Union Rally with Confirmed Cases

3 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Among Minju No Chong Members, Government Orders 'Full Investigation'
Concerns Over Massive COVID-19 Spread from Rally... Citizens 'Worried'
Minju No Chong Denies Rally as Infection Source, Calls It a 'Witch Hunt'

On the afternoon of the 3rd, members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a National Workers' Rally in the Jongno area of Seoul. /Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Concerns among citizens are growing as it has been revealed that three participants in a large-scale rally organized by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) tested positive for COVID-19. The rally, which gathered around 8,000 people on the 3rd, has raised fears of a large-scale infection. Some have criticized the government's response, which issued a mass testing order about two weeks after the rally, as a 'belated measure.'

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on the 18th, following the first confirmed COVID-19 case from the KCTU on the 16th, two additional colleagues of the confirmed patient tested positive on the 17th. All were found to have attended the National Workers' Rally hosted by the KCTU on the 3rd.

In response, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum issued an urgent statement on the 17th, requesting immediate diagnostic testing for all rally participants. Prime Minister Kim expressed deep regret as the head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters over the confirmed cases among attendees of the July 3 KCTU workers' rally, which had been repeatedly advised against, and urged swift mass testing.

Earlier, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and police had notified the KCTU of a ban on the rally due to concerns over COVID-19 spread and had sealed off the Yeouido area, the planned rally site. However, the KCTU changed the location to the Jongno area and proceeded with the rally.

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

Among citizens, voices are emerging expressing concern over a large-scale COVID-19 outbreak stemming from the KCTU rally. Approximately 8,000 participants gathered at the rally, and given the nature of the event?shouting slogans loudly?there was a high possibility of rapid infection spread. Especially recently, the Delta variant, known to be more infectious, has been spreading quickly.

There were also criticisms that quarantine rules were not properly followed at the rally site. Some participants were seen not maintaining the recommended 2-meter distancing, sparking controversy. The rally host even requested participants to "spread out as you are too tightly packed."

One netizen said, "It doesn't make sense to hold a rally when even restaurants and bars are told not to gather in groups of five," and added, "The government is also responsible for not more strongly preventing the rally after seeing the situation during last year's Liberation Day rally."

There were also criticisms that the government's mass testing order was a delayed response. Another netizen criticized, "Only after three confirmed cases appeared did they order mass testing? What if it has spread everywhere over two weeks? It's a disaster waiting to happen."

The KDCA, considering the symptom onset dates of the confirmed cases, believes the possibility of infection through the rally is low. However, the KDCA explained, "All three confirmed cases attended the rally on the 3rd, and symptoms appeared between the 14th and 16th. Since this falls within the maximum incubation period of two weeks, the possibility of infection through the rally cannot be ruled out."

The KCTU apologized for the confirmed cases but pushed back against the perception that the rally was the source of infection, calling it a 'witch hunt.'

In a statement released on the 17th, the KCTU said, "Before the epidemiological investigation results were announced by the health authorities, the Prime Minister's announcement (statement) about confirmed cases among rally participants was made," and claimed, "This reflects a witch hunt that assumes the July 3 rally was the main source of infection."

They continued, "While it is true that three confirmed cases attended the rally on the 3rd, there is no evidence to conclude they were infected at the rally," emphasizing, "If infection had occurred at the rally, the incubation period would be close to two weeks, but based on existing research, this probability is very low."

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