Ahn Cheol-soo: "Lifting Outdoor Mask Mandates at This Point Is a Premature Decision"

Ahn Cheol-soo, Chairman of the Presidential Transition Committee

[Asia Economy Reporter Bu Aeri] Ahn Cheol-soo, chairman of the Presidential Transition Committee, criticized the government's decision to lift the outdoor mask mandate as a "too hasty judgment" on the 29th.

Chairman Ahn met with reporters in Tongui-dong, Seoul, in the morning and said, "With more than 50,000 confirmed cases and over 100 deaths, it is unclear on what scientific basis the outdoor mask mandate can be lifted."

The government announced that starting from the 2nd of next month, the obligation to wear masks outdoors will be lifted in principle. However, mask-wearing will still be mandatory at gatherings of 50 or more people, such as rallies, events, performances, and sports stadiums, as is currently the case.

Chairman Ahn stated, "I recommended assessing the situation about two weeks later, around late May, rather than in early May," and pointed out, "The current government’s announcement to lift the mask mandate for treatment purposes seems to be an attempt to take credit for their achievements."

Hong Kyung-hee, deputy spokesperson of the Transition Committee, also said in a briefing that "there was no prior consultation with the Transition Committee regarding the government's announcement," and expressed doubts about whether the government can enforce regulations at rallies or large-scale protests related to this measure.

Meanwhile, when reporters asked Chairman Ahn about rumors of his candidacy for Bundang-gap, he avoided a direct answer, saying, "Go ask around while I’m on the move."

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