Goseong-gun Union: "We Should Have Refrained Considering Citizens Suffering from COVID-19"
Birthday party scene of the Director of Goseong-gun Public Health Center. Photo by Gyeongnam Goseong-gun Official Social Network Service Naver Band capture.
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] A controversy has arisen after a health center at the forefront of COVID-19 prevention held a birthday party for the health center director during weekday working hours.
Recently, a photo was posted on the social networking service "Goseong-gun Official Band," operated by Goseong-gun, Gyeongnam Province. The photo shows about 10 employees of the Goseong-gun Health Center gathered to celebrate the health center director's birthday on the 15th. A banner reading "Happy Birthday to the Director" was hung in the office, and on the table were a birthday cake, rice cakes, tangerines, and a flower basket.
The poster wrote along with the photo, "While everyone is being cautious in these difficult times, here is a photo of the health center director of the Goseong-gun health center holding a birthday party at the health center," adding, "And during working hours with a banner... Is it appropriate for the person responsible for public health to behave like this?"
After the post was uploaded, critical comments followed. People questioned whether it was necessary to hold a birthday party with several people gathered at a health center on the front line of quarantine measures, especially under the ban on gatherings of five or more people.
One netizen pointed out, "The public is struggling to follow quarantine guidelines even at the cost of giving up their livelihoods. However, it is inappropriate for public officials to gather privately during working hours to hold a birthday party."
As the controversy grew, the Goseong-gun branch of the Korean Government Employees' Union conducted a fact-finding investigation and released a statement on the 20th.
The union stated, "Meetings among employees within the same office for work purposes do not violate quarantine rules. The birthday celebration was not forced upon anyone. However, no matter how much it was a gathering for congratulations and encouragement among employees, the flower bouquets and banner seem excessive beyond customary practice and require correction." They added, "From the perspective of the residents suffering from COVID-19, more self-restraint was necessary."
Meanwhile, Baek Doohyun, the mayor of Goseong-gun, who was informed of this incident, is reportedly planning to announce an official position regarding recent public service discipline issues in the county at a press conference on the 25th.
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