Party and government hold emergency talks on COVID-19... Discuss loss compensation and vaccine side effect support

Yun Hojung "Establish Emergency Infectious Disease Response Fund... Will Set 100 Trillion Won Financial Measures"

A party-government meeting to prepare proactive COVID-19 prevention measures will be held on the afternoon of the 15th at the National Assembly. It is explained that specific discussions will be conducted based on the COVID-19 countermeasure demands announced by Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate, at an emergency press conference the previous day.

At the party-government meeting held that day, the key topics are expected to be △strengthening social distancing △'advance compensation and support' for small business owners' loss compensation △and the vaccine national responsibility system, which were requested by candidate Lee to the government the previous day.

Yoon Ho-jung, Co-Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea's Central Election Committee, is delivering opening remarks at the Central Election Committee meeting held at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 15th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

Among these, the strengthening of social distancing is expected to be promoted without disagreement between the party and government, as Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum mentioned restrictions on private gatherings and business hours that morning. At the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting held at the Government Seoul Office that morning, Prime Minister Kim said, "The government views the current quarantine situation very seriously and intends to implement stronger social distancing measures." Accordingly, the allowed number of private gatherings in the metropolitan area, currently six people, is expected to be reduced to four, and operating hours of multi-use facilities such as restaurants and cafes, which currently operate without time restrictions, may be shortened to midnight or 10 p.m. The previous day, candidate Lee urged the government to strengthen distancing, saying "It is time to temporarily pause the recovery of daily life," and Prime Minister Kim also effectively expressed the intention to suspend the phased recovery of daily life and strengthen quarantine measures, which is interpreted as the party and government joining hands on this matter.

However, some view that even stronger restrictions on the allowed number of private gatherings and operating hours of multi-use facilities are necessary, drawing attention to whether measures equivalent to the existing level 4 social distancing will be introduced.

The core issues at this party-government meeting are expected to be the financially demanding 'small business owners' loss compensation' and the 'scope of vaccine side effect compensation.'

Yoon Ho-jung, the Democratic Party floor leader, announced at the Central Election Countermeasures Committee meeting that morning, "We will push for the establishment of an infectious disease emergency response fund." Yoon said, "We will create an infectious disease emergency response fund for small business owners' loss compensation and establish a COVID-19 fiscal plan worth a total of 100 trillion won, including small business owners' loss compensation, financial support, and local currency support measures for next year."

Accordingly, it is explained that amendments to the National Finance Act and the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act will be proposed soon, and party consensus procedures will be followed for internal discussions.

This is interpreted as reflecting candidate Lee's demands the previous day for 'advance compensation and support for small business owners and self-employed' and the 'implementation of the vaccine national responsibility system.' Candidate Lee urged the government and party to switch to an emergency COVID-19 response system, saying "extraordinary measures are necessary."

Floor leader Yoon said, "In addition to establishing the fund, legal amendments are necessary for loss compensation due to personnel restrictions, and furthermore, the ruling and opposition parties need to put their heads together to discuss institutional improvements including advance compensation and support." He also added, "We plan to discuss the vaccine national responsibility system to alleviate public concerns about vaccine side effects."

However, since issues such as legislation and fiscal matters require party-government consultations and bipartisan agreements, the discussion process may not be easy. Ko Yong-jin, the Democratic Party senior spokesperson, said in a phone interview, "The scale of loss compensation support and the extent of the state's responsibility for vaccine side effects are not issues that can be concluded easily," and expressed hope that "the government will present a more supportive and responsible stance."

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