Lee Jae-myung: "From March 10, businesses will be allowed to operate freely until midnight"

"Almost No Severe Symptoms After Booster Shot"
Promises of Compensation, Special Supplementary Budget, and Emergency Financial Order

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Junyi Park and Youngwon Kim] Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, emphasized the damage suffered by small business owners and self-employed people due to COVID-19, promising, "When March 10 comes, we will stop excessive quarantine measures and allow those who have received booster shots to operate freely until midnight."

On the 20th, at a campaign rally held at the 2nd Outdoor Music Hall in Manseok Park, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Lee stated, "We must move away from the old-style quarantine and become more flexible and smart."

He said, "Small business owners and self-employed people are struggling because of restrictions imposed to overcome the disease COVID-19," adding, "If they have suffered special damages, shouldn't we provide special compensation fairly? Isn't that justice?"

He continued, "COVID-19 has evolved to become smaller and faster, but its danger has decreased. It has changed from a dangerous 'gomtaengi' (bear) to a small weasel," and said, "It is enough for individuals to prevent infection even if we do not block it collectively."

On this day, Lee appeared wearing a taekwondo uniform and performed a demonstration breaking wooden boards inscribed with 'COVID-19 Crisis' and 'Self-Employed Pain.'

Lee argued, "Europe has all taken off their masks. We just need to wear masks while acting," and said, "We must move away from past quarantine policies so that self-employed people can make a living, and if you get a booster shot, there are almost no fatal symptoms."

He said, "When March 10 comes, I will immediately implement a policy allowing those who have received booster shots to dine out and play billiards until midnight." He added, "I heard someone plays a lot of billiards," and said, "You can play billiards even with one eye open," which was interpreted as a remark targeting People Power Party candidate Yoon Seok-youl's strabismus controversy.

Regarding the supplementary budget, he said, "Kim Eun-hye of the People Power Party reportedly asked, 'Do we really have to do it today?'" and emphasized, "If we don't do it today, there are people who will die immediately. So it must be done today."

He criticized, "In this harsh environment where lives are at stake, should we forgive those who block the supplementary budget by saying, 'If the people suffer more, votes will come, if we hate the opponent more, it will be advantageous to us'?" and said, "Isn't it old-fashioned politics to make people's lives and safety a political issue and seek political gain?"

Lee promised, "We must compensate small business owners, self-employed people, platform workers, and others who have sacrificed for us," and added, "If elected, I will activate an emergency financial order or a special supplementary budget to provide loss compensation."

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