Is Maryland's Success in COVID-19 Response Thanks to the 'Korean Son-in-Law'?

▲Larry Hogan, Governor of Maryland (right), and his wife Yumi Hogan (Korean name Kim Yumi)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Maryland, considered one of the states in the United States that is handling the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) well, has attracted attention as it is known to have greatly benefited from the "Korean son-in-law."

This is because the Governor of Maryland requested help from domestic diagnostic kit manufacturers through his Korean-American wife from the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The New York Times (NYT) reported that Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland has been implementing strong preventive measures since the early stages of the COVID-19 spread and introduced an anecdote about his wife, Yumi Hogan (Korean name Kim Yumi).

Mrs. Hogan, originally from Naju, Jeollanam-do, is recognized as the first Korean-American governor's wife in U.S. history and the first Asian First Lady of Maryland. During her visit to Korea in September 2017, she met with First Lady Kim Jung-sook at the Blue House. Earlier, in July of the same year, she had her first meeting with Mrs. Kim during a Korean-American gathering in the U.S.

Governor Hogan asked his wife to "request help from Korea" during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. Subsequently, several Korean companies reportedly expressed their willingness to supply diagnostic kits.

In fact, LabGenomics, a domestic molecular diagnostic healthcare company, announced on the 2nd that it received an order from the state government and on the 3rd, it would supply COVID-19 diagnostic kits to the Maryland state government. The kits are currently awaiting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Jeollanam-do, the hometown of Mrs. Hogan, is also planning to support Maryland with COVID-19 medical supplies. Jeollanam-do plans to sequentially ship 80,000 medical gloves and 600 medical gowns starting from the 7th. Jeollanam-do and Maryland established a sister-state relationship in 2017, and Mrs. Hogan attended the sisterhood ceremony at that time.

Governor Hogan, a Republican like President Donald Trump, has been noted for his proactive response since the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. On the 5th of last month, when the first infection was confirmed, he immediately declared a state of emergency and implemented strong measures such as school closures, shutdowns of restaurants and movie theaters, and bans on gatherings of more than 50 people.

On the 30th of last month, he issued a stay-at-home order, stating, "This is not a request or recommendation but an order," warning that "intentional violations will be punished with up to one year in prison or a fine of up to $5,000." According to the NYT, some Democrats in Maryland also expressed support for his swift actions.

The NYT reported that Governor Hogan expressed anger over the delayed official FDA approval of Korean-made diagnostic kits.

Meanwhile, as of the 5th, Maryland has recorded 3,609 confirmed cases and 67 deaths. Compared to New York State in the same eastern region, which had 122,031 confirmed cases on the same day, Maryland's numbers are significantly lower.