[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Jeju City has been accused of using insecticides and other products with unverified disinfectant effects in its COVID-19 prevention efforts. Andongwoo, the mayor of Jeju City, denied having received any related reports.
On the 15th, KBS pointed out during the Jeju Provincial Council's administrative audit that Jeju City used Ministry of Environment unapproved products or insecticides instead of disinfectants for COVID-19 disinfection work.
According to the report, Hong Myunghwan, a provincial council member (Democratic Party of Korea, Jeju City Ido 2-dong Gap), asked Mayor Andongwoo at the council, "It is known that insecticide disinfection was conducted at the central underground shopping area. Are you aware of this?" and "You don’t know, right? You haven’t received a report, right?" The mayor replied, "I have never received such a report."
Jeju City purchased a total of 12 new COVID-19 disinfectant products this year. Among them, five products were not approved by the Ministry of Environment, and some agents used for foot-and-mouth disease prevention were reportedly also used for disinfecting public restrooms.
Some have criticized Jeju City for adhering to spraying disinfectants rather than the method recommended by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, which is "wiping with a cloth soaked in disinfectant." This spraying method is said to be ineffective and a waste of taxpayers' money.
Regarding this, Lee Mincheol, director of Jeju Health Center, explained, "Because disinfection is carried out over a wide area, there are no people, and the number of personnel is insufficient."
Meanwhile, on the 14th, it was revealed during the administrative audit that Seogwipo City also used Ministry of Environment unapproved products, causing controversy.
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