Russian Foreign Minister Claims "Korea, Japan, and Singapore Effectively Respond to COVID-19 Through Vertical System"

by Jeong Hyunjin

Published 26 Apr.2020 08:07(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Sergey Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister, claimed that the vertical state governance systems of Asian countries have been effective in combating the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

According to the Russian state news agency TASS on the 25th (local time), Minister Lavrov said in an interview with a Russian media outlet that day, "Among countries whose democratic foundations are not questioned by any Western friends, the most effective systems and governments are not found among the pioneers or ideals of liberalism," making this assertion.

Lavrov explained, "The protagonists I am talking about are Asian countries," mentioning South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, and added, "No one denies their status as democratic countries, but they possess sufficiently strong vertical governance systems." His statement came after COVID-19 spread widely in the United States and Europe, and is interpreted as an attempt to emphasize the legitimacy of Russia's authoritarian system.

However, while South Korea has contained the spread of COVID-19, Japan and Singapore are experiencing a delayed but increasing spread, and evaluations of the strong vertical governance systems of individual countries may vary.

Minister Lavrov said, "I do not want to feel joy at the fact that the mentors of democracy (the United States and European countries) are facing difficulties, but rather share the feelings of all those who have been most severely affected by COVID-19." He added, "However, generally speaking, if we analyze the capabilities of countries to respond to this threat, the COVID-19 data is very convincing."

Lavrov also criticized Western countries, stating that nations that uphold the liberal world order have acted "very illiberally" when their core interests were at stake. He cited examples such as NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia, the U.S. invasion of Iraq based on false claims of possessing weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and U.S. interference in Venezuela's internal affairs.