Lee Jae-myung's Call to "Resume Social Distancing"... Justice Party Says "No to Public Control Social Distancing"

"Securing Hospital Beds and Healthcare Personnel, Focusing on Loss Compensation and Damage Support"

Ye Young-guk, the overall standing election committee chairman of the Justice Party (left), and Sim Sang-jung, the leader of the Justice Party. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Yeo Young-guk, the Chief Standing Election Committee Chair of the Justice Party, criticized Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, for demanding strengthened social distancing measures, saying, "We must not return to the previous social distancing quarantine measures that control the people and restrict business hours."

On the 15th, through her Facebook, Chair Yeo stated, "Candidate Lee's request to strengthen social distancing is a call to control the people again and restrict business hours through quarantine," adding, "Let me be clear. Now is the time to focus on securing hospital beds and healthcare personnel and providing loss compensation and damage support through a presidential emergency order rather than strengthening social distancing."

She continued, "What is needed now is to carefully review the ongoing spread and come up with countermeasures," and said, "Confirmed cases are occurring within the range initially predicted by the government. What is lacking are hospital beds for severe patients and healthcare personnel."

She also emphasized, "It is time for President Moon Jae-in to invoke emergency powers and respond urgently," and "I request a presidential emergency order to convert private hospitals in key areas into public hospitals dedicated to COVID-19."

Chair Yeo added, "I urge the government to immediately allocate the 50 trillion won mentioned by Yoon Seok-youl, the People Power Party presidential candidate, not after the election but right now, to focus on loss compensation and damage support."

Earlier, Candidate Lee, through a COVID-19 emergency response statement read by Park Chan-dae, the senior spokesperson of the election committee, said, "Despite the sacrifices of the people and the government's all-out response, we are once again facing a serious crisis," and argued, "A temporary pause in the recovery of daily life is necessary."

He urged the government to activate a preemptive emergency system and demanded the implementation of strengthened social distancing measures and reassurance measures for the public following the strengthening of distancing.

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