Prime Minister Kim Apologizes for Violating Quarantine Rules: "Deeply Sorry... Will Strictly Reflect on Myself" (Update)

National Issues Review and Coordination Meeting

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum is presiding over the Government Policy Coordination Meeting held at the Government Seoul Office Building on the 12th. 2021.11.12 [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seon-hee] Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum apologized on the 12th, saying, "I promise to thoroughly reflect on myself to ensure that such an incident never happens again," and expressed "deep regret" after it was revealed that he recently violated quarantine rules limiting the number of people in private gatherings, causing controversy.

On the morning of the same day, Prime Minister Kim chaired the Government Seoul Office's National Affairs Inspection and Coordination Meeting and said, "As the head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, I do not know how to properly apologize to the public," expressing his apology. He bowed his head and said, "Last weekend, I had a meal exceeding the allowed number of people according to quarantine rules during a meeting with friends. Since I could not just tell the wife of a friend who came unexpectedly to leave, I sat together with her, but regardless of the circumstances, it is true that I violated the quarantine rules."

Earlier, on the 6th, Prime Minister Kim held a lunch with university classmates at the Prime Minister's official residence in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. It was later revealed that there were 11 attendees including Prime Minister Kim, sparking controversy over the violation of quarantine rules. Under the first phase of the gradual return to normalcy applied in the metropolitan area, private gatherings are limited to 10 people. As the head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters overseeing COVID-19 prevention, Prime Minister Kim could not avoid criticism.

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