"Amid the 4th Wave Surge..." ... Controversy Over Jeju Training Trip by 3 Sacheon City Council Members

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] Some members of the Sacheon City Council in Gyeongnam have sparked controversy after traveling to Jeju Island for training amid the peak of the 4th wave of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

According to the Sacheon City Council on the 28th, eight people, including five city council members and three public officials from the council secretariat, participated in the 'National Local Council Members and Council Public Officials Special Seminar' held in Jeju from the 14th to the 16th.

The training cost about 1 million won per person and was paid from the city council budget.

It is known that local council members from Gyeonggi, Jeonnam, and Daegu also participated along with the Sacheon city council members.

Following a special lecture on the topic of '2022 Budget Review,' there were visits to major tourist sites for 'Benchmarking for Tourism and Cultural Policy Development,' and lectures such as 'Laws Local Council Members Must Know.'

However, this training was conducted during a time when COVID-19 cases were surging in non-metropolitan areas, leading to public criticism.

In particular, Jeju Island had strengthened quarantine measures by raising social distancing to level 2 on the 12th and issuing an administrative order banning gatherings at entertainment facilities from midnight on the 15th, effectively tightening restrictions considering visits from outsiders.

One citizen criticized, "At that time, the nationwide confirmed cases were in the four digits, so I question whether it was really necessary to go to Jeju for training," adding, "The city council members acted without sufficient consideration."

In response, the city council members explained, "It was not a tourism-related training but a learning opportunity to strengthen the capabilities of the members, so we thought there would be no problem at all."

They also said, "Since tourism policy development was the theme of the training, we did not use airplanes but traveled by ferry between Samcheonpo Port and Jeju Port."