People Power Party: "COVID-19 Quarantine Measures Are Arbitrary Exercise of Power"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The People Power Party criticized the government's COVID-19 quarantine measures as 'arbitrary exercise of power.' They emphasized the need for rational and consistent measures regarding quarantine policies.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday, the 11th, travelers are moving at Seoul Station to board trains heading to their hometowns. The government has imposed a ban on private gatherings of five or more people from today until the 14th to prevent the domestic resurgence of COVID-19. Even immediate family members cannot gather in groups of five or more if they have different addresses, and fines will be imposed for violations. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

On the 15th, Kim Jae-sik, deputy spokesperson of the People Power Party, commented on the government's quarantine measures that exempt immediate family members from the ban on gatherings of five or more people, saying, "Right after the Lunar New Year holiday, the new government quarantine measure states that if parents are present, sons, daughters, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren, and granddaughters can gather in any number, but if parents are not present, not even one sibling can gather. Does this mean that if parents are present, you won't catch COVID-19, but if not, you will?"

Deputy spokesperson Kim said, "Wasn't this the same government that said 'If you gather, you die; if you scatter, you live' just before the Lunar New Year?" He added, "Now that they say visiting hometowns is acceptable, the public is honestly left dumbfounded."

He continued, "Although the quarantine level was lowered to level 2 in the metropolitan area and 1.5 in non-metropolitan areas, the ban on gatherings of five or more people is stricter than level 3 (which bans gatherings of 10 or more)," and criticized, "This level has been maintained for several months, making it difficult to gauge what the current quarantine level really is and when and under what circumstances the quarantine level will be strengthened or eased in the future."

Deputy spokesperson Kim stated, "There is strong public criticism that the government is exercising power arbitrarily like a rubber band over potential threats," and added, "While quarantine is important, the public fears that such discretionary, convenient, and arbitrary measures may even wither the 'seeds of freedom.'"