Lee: "Even with the 3rd dose, social distancing should be eased"... Yoon Seok-yeol's side: "Easing quarantine sends the wrong signal"

Lee Jae-myung Holds Press Conference to Present COVID-19 Response Measures
Yoon Seok-yeol's Camp Says "Now Is the Time to Observe, Not to Decide Direction"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Amid the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases due to the spread of Omicron, the approaches of the presidential candidates differed. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, expressed the view that quarantine-related regulations should be eased to help self-employed individuals struggling due to quarantine measures, while Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party presidential candidate, stated that quarantine-related regulations should not be relaxed before the peak is reached.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 21st, Lee held a “Press Conference on Measures to Overcome and Respond to COVID-19 Damage” at the Democratic Party headquarters, demanding, "I once again request that social distancing restrictions be eased to 24:00 for those who have received the third vaccination," adding, "Extending business hours only until 10 p.m. is insufficient. If the gathering limit cannot be increased from 6 to 8 or 10 people, at least those who have received the third vaccination should be allowed to stay longer."

He continued, "If I am elected, I will ease social distancing starting March 10," and stated, "When adjusting the social distancing stages and response system, I hope that the indicators for severe and critical patients will be realistically subdivided, and the number of confirmed cases will be actively considered as a supplementary indicator."

Earlier, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced that starting from the 19th, under the social distancing adjustment plan, the closing time for restaurants, cafes, singing rooms, bathhouses, indoor sports facilities, and entertainment venues (including entertainment bars, karaoke bars, clubs, nightclubs, emotional pubs, hunting pubs, and colatecs/dance halls) will be extended by one hour from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. They also announced plans to relax the obligation to prepare and keep entry logs. Lee’s response measures are considered insufficient.

People Power Party's Jeong Gi-seok, Chair of the COVID-19 Crisis Response Committee (second from left) [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Yoon camp holds the position that easing quarantine measures is not under consideration at this stage. Jeong Ki-seok, head of the COVID-19 Crisis Response Committee of the People Power Party’s campaign headquarters, said in a phone interview with this paper, "Now is the time to observe, not to decide the direction," adding, "It is not the time to decide on easing or strengthening measures but to watch the trend."

Jeong said, "Since the government has given a signal that it will ease measures, I expect there will be an increase in COVID-19 cases," and added, "It is worrisome that the government has sent the wrong signal."

He expressed concern, saying, "No country has pursued easing policies amid such a rapid surge in confirmed cases," and "The idea of 24-hour business operations is not scientifically sound. Even those who have received the third vaccination may not have formed immunity."

Meanwhile, Lee promised to strengthen support for home treatment and improve guidelines for full school reopening in March, separately from easing quarantine measures for small business owners. Lee said, "Not only the quarantine support funds for small business owners but also budgets for supporting medical, quarantine, and care personnel, providing self-diagnosis kits to all citizens, living support expenses for home-treated patients, and support for vulnerable employment groups, transportation workers, and cultural artists must be included in the current supplementary budget and passed, and promptly executed." Furthermore, he pledged that immediately after being elected president, his first directive would be to establish the ‘COVID-19 Damage Emergency Relief Special Committee,’ a rapid response organization modeled after Franklin Roosevelt’s approach, to respond swiftly.

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