Democratic Party: "O Se-hoon's Separate Quarantine Measures Could Threaten Livelihoods"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] The Democratic Party expressed concerns that Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's plan to implement separate quarantine measures could "threaten people's livelihoods."

Democratic Party spokesperson Kang Seon-woo stated in a written briefing on the 13th, "Worryingly, yesterday (the 12th), Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced plans to pursue separate quarantine measures exclusively for Seoul," adding, "Mayor Oh claims these measures aim to protect both livelihoods and quarantine efforts, but most experts have expressed critical opinions. There is growing concern that this could exacerbate confusion in quarantine measures."

He continued, "This is because, in a situation where infections are already spreading through multi-use facilities in the metropolitan area, it could create another collective link for infection spread."

Spokesperson Kang summarized Mayor Oh’s announced plan as "partially allowing nighttime business operations until midnight considering the characteristics of each industry, and introducing self-diagnostic kits as a supplementary quarantine measure."

He also expressed concern, saying, "Self-diagnostic kits have only a 17.5% positive detection rate compared to the currently conducted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, resulting in significantly lower accuracy. Infected individuals who receive false negative results may roam freely and spread the virus."

Kang emphasized, "Premature relaxation of quarantine measures must not threaten people's livelihoods," adding, "The top priority in COVID-19 quarantine is the safety and health of the people. The relaxation of standards by Seoul City is not just a Seoul issue but could affect the entire metropolitan area." He further stated, "It is necessary to carefully consider expert opinions and make prudent decisions. When the government, local governments, and the public unite with strong solidarity and cooperation, the time to overcome the crisis will also be shortened."

He also noted that during the ‘Special COVID-19 Response Quarantine Inspection Meeting’ held the previous day, President Moon Jae-in expressed concern that the situation is a "precarious phase that could escalate into an explosive large-scale outbreak," and that quarantine authorities have also warned of the possibility of a fourth wave.

He mentioned that the infection reproduction number over the past week was 1.12, remaining above 1 for two consecutive weeks, and that the proportion of confirmed cases with unknown infection routes has risen for three consecutive weeks, reaching 28.5%.