[Summary] "Safety First" vs "K-Quarantine Failure" Ruling and Opposition Clash Over Vaccine Procurement

Democratic Party "Opposition Fuels Anxiety and Fear"
People Power Party "President Must Take Direct Action"
President Moon "Prepare Vaccinations Without Delay"

Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido on the 21st and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] As the situation of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) worsens, the importance of vaccines is increasing, and conflicts between the ruling and opposition parties over vaccine procurement are deepening. The Democratic Party of Korea emphasized the priority of verifying vaccine safety, while the People Power Party criticized the government for failing to secure vaccines and demanded that the president take direct action.

The Democratic Party pointed out that the opposition is inciting anxiety and fear, emphasizing the verification of vaccine safety. At the Supreme Council meeting yesterday, Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party, said, "The opposition is inciting anxiety and fear, which ultimately harms the stability of people’s livelihoods," and urged, "Please help with quarantine and people’s livelihoods without thinking about immediate political gains."

Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the Democratic Party, said, "Along with the harsh winter conditions, we are suffering from the 'triple hardships of quarantine' caused by unverified news, distorted news, and shaking tactics from the opposition and some media," emphasizing, "The principle is to verify vaccine safety as much as possible before vaccination."

Kim also stated, "Since the entire population is subject to vaccination, the principle is to vaccinate after verifying safety as much as possible," adding, "More than 70% of our people have confirmed safety and have expressed willingness to receive the vaccine."

Regarding the reason the U.S. rushed vaccination, he pointed out, "The U.S. has 18 million confirmed cases, 300,000 deaths, and more than 200,000 daily confirmed cases, so vaccination is the only quarantine measure," and noted, "The conditions in countries like the U.S. and the U.K., where confirmed cases and deaths are surging, differ from those in the Republic of Korea."

He reiterated, "The government has already secured sufficient vaccine quantities and is preparing for vaccination starting from February or March next year. The right direction now is to prevent the third wave and establish a safe vaccination plan."

Criticism also arose that the opposition and conservative media are distorting facts to incite fear. Shin Dong-geun, Supreme Council member, said, "The attitude of the opposition and conservative media is very disappointing. It seems they are eager to tarnish K-quarantine," criticizing, "Those who try to undermine and shake the trust in K-quarantine, and even spread conspiracy theories that vaccination is timed for by-elections, are anti-national and antisocial forces."

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Emergency Response Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 17th. Photo by Yonhap News

On the other hand, the People Power Party criticized the government’s policy failure regarding vaccine supply and argued that President Moon should take direct control of the situation.

Kim Jong-in, emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, said in a statement, "The spread of COVID-19 is not slowing down," pointing out, "The medical collapse situation is becoming a reality and is very serious."

He added, "Vaccines, which can be called a game changer in the current situation, have an uncertain start date for vaccination," and criticized, "Many citizens are angry at Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun’s remark that the vaccine contract was delayed because the number of confirmed cases was low."

He urged, "The government caused quarantine failure by creating a state of three lacks?lack of vaccines, hospital beds, and doctors?amid self-praise of K-quarantine and complacency," and said, "If the timing of the third stage is missed, it will be ineffective, so I hope the government makes decisions based on scientific experts’ judgments rather than political considerations."

Spokesperson Bae Jun-young released a commentary saying, "While the People Power Party has been loudly calling for vaccine procurement and proposing and securing budgets since the start of the 21st National Assembly, where was the government? What were they doing?" and pointed out, "The whole world has been focusing all efforts on securing and completing COVID-19 vaccinations, with leaders taking direct action."

He strongly criticized, "The government’s insensitivity is unbearable," calling it "a relay government that only announces the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases regularly, and a show-off government that spends astronomical public funds only on populist projects that help elections."

Emergency committee member Sung Il-jong wrote on his Facebook, "President Moon should stop clinging to places for show and boasting, and be where he can dedicate himself and save the people in harsh places," urging action.

Sung emphasized, "The government should now take a more active role in securing and purchasing vaccines," and raised his voice, "It must be the president himself. The president should directly form a private joint inter-ministerial vaccine TF team, appoint vaccine experts, and give them full authority."

The People Party also voiced criticism. Choi Yeon-sook, Supreme Council member of the People Party, said at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, "Due to the government’s failure in response, the lives and safety of the people are seriously threatened. Meanwhile, vaccine procurement is significantly delayed, making the situation even more difficult," and pointed out, "If the government had listened to experts’ advice to prepare hospital beds and vaccines early in the initial stage of COVID-19, the lives and safety of the people would not have been threatened to this extent."

Meanwhile, as criticism continued that vaccine procurement is delayed compared to other countries, President Moon Jae-in expressed his position on the 22nd. At a meeting held at the Blue House with five key figures including National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug, Supreme Court Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, Constitutional Court Chief Justice Yoo Nam-seok, and Central Election Commission Chairperson Noh Jeong-hee, President Moon said, "There are many worries about the (COVID-19) vaccine these days," and added, "Since countries producing vaccines have provided a lot of support and administrative assistance for development, it is inevitable that those countries start vaccination first." He further said, "We believe that we will be able to vaccinate our people without particular delay, and we are preparing well."