"Daegu Citizens in Shock" COVID-19 Crisis, Controversy over Daegu Derogatory Remarks... "Democratic Party Must Apologize"

Kim Eo-jun "Corona Crisis is both Daegu Crisis and Shincheonji Crisis"

Broadcaster Kim Eo-jun. Photo by tbs Radio

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] The ruling party is facing mounting criticism as harsh remarks targeting Daegu, the city with the highest number of confirmed domestic cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), have been unleashed without restraint. The opposition party has called for an official apology from the Democratic Party. As the controversy spread, on the 9th, Lee Nak-yeon, co-chairman of the Democratic Party's joint election countermeasures committee, expressed regret.

A member of the Democratic Party's Busan branch, Mr. A, claimed in a post on his Facebook on the 7th, "Although the threat of Shincheonji and COVID-19 exists nationwide, the reason it is particularly severe in Daegu and Gyeongbuk is largely due to the tremendous incompetence of the Korean Party (United Future Party) and the local residents who blindly follow them."

He added, "Let's vote properly in the April 15 general election. If you judge the incompetent government but vote for the even more incompetent United Future Party, it will cause even bigger problems." On the 5th, Mr. A also wrote, "The 68% of Daegu citizens who side with Youngjin Lee (Daegu mayor), who is allied with Shincheonji, and instead criticize the government are out of their minds."

On the afternoon of the 19th, when multiple confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) were reported in Daegu, a suspected COVID-19 patient was urgently transported to Kyungpook National University Hospital in Jung-gu, Daegu. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Additionally, broadcaster Kim Eo-jun stated on his 'tbs Radio' program on the 6th, "As of yesterday, the ratio of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Daegu is one in every 560 citizens. At this rate, next week it will be one in every 400 or 300 citizens in Daegu testing positive for COVID-19," and he sharply criticized, "The COVID-19 crisis is both a Daegu crisis and a Shincheonji crisis."

He further said, "If China were truly the problem, why would the metropolitan area with a population of 23 million have only one confirmed case per 100,000 people?" and "The numbers clearly indicate that our COVID-19 crisis is a Daegu crisis and a Shincheonji crisis."

Immediately after Kim's remarks, the TBS website received posts stating, "Remarks that scapegoat a specific region and group to help the ruling party evade responsibility are absolutely unacceptable," and called for Kim's immediate removal.

Earlier, a policy committee member of the Democratic Party's National Youth Committee sparked controversy on the 1st by claiming on an online community, "Thanks to President Moon, other regions are safe, so Daegu can be abandoned."

Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin is holding a regular briefing related to COVID-19.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

As remarks implying that Daegu is responsible for the spread of COVID-19 continued, Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin appealed on the 8th, "Please stop baseless allegations and speculation so that we can unite to resolve the crisis."

At a regular briefing that day, Mayor Kwon pointed out, "In an unprecedented situation where hundreds of COVID-19 confirmed cases are emerging daily in Daegu, many people including medical staff, police, firefighters, and city, county, and district officials are fighting on the front lines like a battlefield," and added, "Baseless allegations and rampant speculation from some quarters are making it difficult for Daegu's quarantine measures."

Voices of criticism also continued in the political sphere. Shim Jae-cheol, floor leader of the United Future Party, said, "They have stabbed the citizens of Daegu in the back," and "They are blinded only by blaming others and rallying their support base ahead of the general election." The United Future Party's Daegu branch stated, "At this point, it is suspicious that the Democratic Party is deliberately involved," and demanded, "The Democratic Party should bow and apologize to the citizens of Daegu."

Amid the widespread controversy over the ruling party's disparaging remarks about Daegu, a civic group submitted a petition to the National Human Rights Commission claiming that Kim Eo-jun's remarks constitute 'disparagement and defamation of the Daegu region.'

The 'Action Alliance for Establishing the Rule of Law' (Beopse-ryeon) stated in a press release on the 8th, "(Kim Eo-jun's remarks) are clearly disparaging the Daegu region and have defamed and insulted its citizens, violating their human rights. Therefore, Beopse-ryeon has submitted a petition to the National Human Rights Commission requesting a recommendation to prohibit further 'Daegu crisis' remarks on broadcasts and social media."

On the 9th, Lee Nak-yeon, co-chairman of the Democratic Party's joint election countermeasures committee, apologized regarding the series of disparaging remarks about the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions among ruling party figures, saying, "We deeply apologize for sometimes hurting the hearts of the people with our thoughtless words and actions."

At the party's 'COVID-19 National Crisis Overcoming Committee' meeting that day, Lee said, "We apologize to the public for the frustrating days when it was difficult even to secure masks freely," and added, "We are sorry to the people who are worried about their own and their families' health and enduring many inconveniences in daily life."

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of midnight on the 9th, the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions has exceeded 7,000.

As of the 7th, 294 confirmed cases occurred in Daegu alone, bringing the cumulative total to 5,378. In Gyeongbuk, 32 new cases were reported.