Photo of Minister Park Neung-hoo featured on the Chuseok poster posted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare Photo by Facebook capture
[Asia Economy reporters Han Seung-gon and Na Han-ah] The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) 'Chuseok poster' featuring Minister Park Neung-hoo and Vice Ministers Kim Kang-lip and Kang Do-tae is receiving criticism among netizens.
On the 1st, the MOHW posted on its official Facebook account a poster showing Minister Park standing upright in front of a full moon background. The poster includes the phrase, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare will spare no effort in quarantine management so that the public can spend Chuseok with peace of mind."
Similar MOHW 'Chuseok posters' were also produced featuring First Vice Minister Kim Kang-lip and Second Vice Minister Kang Do-tae and posted on Facebook on the 30th and 29th of last month, respectively.
These posters read, "Due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, it is a time when all of our tired bodies and minds need rest. This Chuseok, please stay indoors and take sufficient time to rest," and "For the beloved family and relatives we cannot meet due to COVID-19, we hope you have a warm Chuseok holiday by sharing your hearts through video calls."
The controversy over these posters began as they were actively shared online toward the end of this Chuseok holiday. While some netizens expressed positive messages such as "We support the Minister of Health and Welfare who is working hard on COVID-19 prevention," and "Please continue your efforts," critical voices also emerged.
Netizens with critical opinions said, "There are medical staff struggling on the front lines, so why are the vice ministers stepping forward?" "Are they doing hero marketing with their own faces?" "The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) does not do this," "There is no regret in spending taxpayers' money," and "Why is there promotional material featuring the minister's face?"
On the 2nd, Professor Lee Han-sang of Korea University’s Business Administration Department wrote on his Facebook, "If the People Power Party Central Youth Committee’s poster is tacky, I want to believe that this was not really made by the Ministry of Health and Welfare because it is truly bizarre." He added, "If the People Power Party poster is like a stoner B-grade comic movie, then this is more like a zombie horror comedy. Surely they did not outsource production and spend tax money on this?"
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