Wanju-gun Shakes Off Unwanted Stigma in Just One Day

COVID-19 Death Rate Announced as Number One Found to Be an Error

[Wanju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Han-ho] Wanju-gun experienced a day of going back and forth between 'hell' and 'heaven.'

This was because the result of being ranked 'No. 1 in COVID-19 mortality rate nationwide' was found to be due to an error by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

On the 5th, Nam In-soon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea and National Assembly member for Seoul Songpa-gu B, and a member of the Health and Welfare Committee, announced the status data of the 'Top 10 and Bottom 10 cities, counties, and districts by cumulative COVID-19 incidence rate (per 100,000 population)'.

This was based on data submitted by the KDCA.

According to this data, as of September 30, the city/county/district with the highest cumulative COVID-19 mortality rate per 100,000 population was Sunchang-gun, Jeonbuk, with 111.5 people.

Next were Dong-gu, Busan with 56.2 people, Nam-gu, Daegu with 34.8 people, Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongbuk with 33.1 people, and Jung-gu, Daegu with 31.4 people, in that order.

In reality, Sunchang-gun had 31 deaths (as of 9 a.m. on October 5) due to COVID-19.

The problem was that in the National Assembly audit data announced by Rep. Nam In-soon on the 4th, 'Wanju-gun' was listed as the No. 1 in cumulative mortality rate.

In response, Wanju-gun strongly argued that there had been no COVID-19 related deaths so far and vowed to actively work to correct the error.

Upon learning this news, Rep. Nam and the KDCA began reviewing the data, and the KDCA admitted that there was an error in the process of preparing the National Assembly audit data.

A representative from Rep. Nam In-soon's office explained, "We were informed that there was an error in the process of preparing the National Assembly audit data by the KDCA," and added, "It has been confirmed that Wanju-gun is at a good level in COVID-19 response."

A Wanju-gun official said, "It is fortunate that the error was corrected, even if belatedly," and added, "We will continue to do our best to protect the health and safety of our residents through strong and proactive measures."

Wanju=Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Han-ho stonepeak@asiae.co.kr