Kwon Seong-dong Demands Government Recognize 'Priority COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients' as Industrial Accident Cases

"At Least for Citizens Forced to Vaccinate, Industrial Accidents Should Be Broadly Recognized"

Kwon Seong-dong, Member of the People Power Party [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Kwon Seong-dong, a member of the People Power Party, proposed that the government should protect victims of COVID-19 vaccine side effects by broadly recognizing priority vaccination groups such as flight attendants, care workers, and police officers as eligible for industrial accident compensation.

On the 21st, Kwon posted on Facebook, "A healthy nurse assistant in her 40s with no underlying conditions was diagnosed with 'acute disseminated encephalomyelitis' after receiving the AZ (AstraZeneca) vaccine and is experiencing paralysis. Her husband posted a petition on the Blue House's national petition site," adding, "Priority vaccination groups like healthcare workers were effectively forced to get vaccinated due to government policy. However, the government irresponsibly responded to side effect victims by saying 'causality has not been recognized.'" He continued, "They also tried to apply for industrial accident compensation but were told, 'Industrial accident claims due to vaccine aftereffects are not accepted.'"

He mentioned priority vaccination groups such as flight attendants, care workers, police officers, coast guards, and firefighters, stating, "All of these individuals are required to be vaccinated due to national policy," and questioned, "If they become unable to work due to possible vaccine side effects, how should their damages be compensated?"

He then suggested a plan to recognize industrial accident compensation to prevent damage from vaccine side effects. He explained, "At the very least, I propose broadly recognizing industrial accidents for citizens who are effectively forced to be vaccinated due to government policy," adding, "Industrial accidents are no-fault liability cases, and compensation can be received as long as there is work-relatedness."

On the other hand, he also addressed the opposition party, saying, "I believe the opposition should not create an atmosphere that avoids vaccination by only emphasizing the risks of vaccine side effects," and added, "Achieving herd immunity quickly is the way to restore livelihoods, the economy, and enhance national competitiveness."

Finally, he said, "The Moon Jae-in administration should now actively protect victims of possible vaccine side effects and send a positive message that the government will take responsibility, so people can trust and follow," and concluded, "If anything is needed, the opposition will also actively cooperate."