Government: "Quarantine is an inherent authority of local governments... Not always seamless but communication leads to results"

Jungsubon "Central to Local Government, Not a One-Way Command System"
Creative Measures Such as Drive-Thru and Ban on Gatherings of Five or More

On the afternoon of the 17th, one day before the store's opening permission, employees at a cafe inside E-World in Dalseo-gu, Daegu, are placing chairs back at each table after cleaning them along with disinfection work.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The central government described the partial relaxation and subsequent withdrawal of social distancing measures by some local governments, which caused some confusion, as a "method of finding better solutions through sufficient consultation." Since both the central and local governments have the authority to set social distancing levels and quarantine rules to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the government also emphasized the achievements of measures independently prepared by local governments.

On the 18th, Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said during a back briefing, "Since the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak, we have learned the importance of cooperation between the central and local governments in responding to infectious disease crises," adding, "We are continuing the same approach in responding to COVID-19."

Earlier, the government adjusted some quarantine rules to be newly applied from that day, deciding to maintain the ban on private gatherings of five or more people and the prohibition of high-risk facilities operating after 9 p.m. for another two weeks. Subsequently, some local governments such as Daegu and Gyeongju announced their own rules, extending facility operating hours to 11 p.m. During this process, there were conflicting statements about whether these major quarantine rules were discussed at the level of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.

Son said, "Both the central government and local governments have equal authority over gathering bans and detailed social distancing measures," adding, "Neither the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters nor the Prime Minister's Office was informed in advance about the relaxation measures, and other local governments were also unaware beforehand, which raised issues."

Although controversy arose, he emphasized the positive aspects, such as the effectiveness of quarantine measures first proposed by local governments. Son stated, "Rather than a rigid system where the central government unilaterally issues orders, this is a working method where sufficient consultation takes place to find better solutions," and added, "There have been times when local governments responded creatively with a sense of responsibility."

He cited the drive-through testing method and walk-through testing method introduced early last year, which became global standards, as major examples. After the spread of the virus centered in the metropolitan area since November last year, the ban on private gatherings of five or more people was also the result of cooperation among Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province.

Son said, "This approach is a valuable achievement," and added, "Going forward, the central and local governments will continue to consult and communicate to present agreed-upon measures."