Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
Reporter's notebook Moon shirking responsibility on infection surge, slow vaccination
President Moon Jae-in makes a hand heart gesture during an event on promoting improvements in national health insurance scheme at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
By Nam Hyun-woo
When Korea's daily COVID-19 cases reached a new high of 2,223, Tuesday, President Moon Jae-in said the recent surge was “in line with the global spread of the Delta variant” and “Korea is still maintaining a better situation compared to other countries.”
These comments cast doubt on Moon's awareness of his responsibility for the spread of the coronavirus here, and there is growing criticism that the President is trying to avoid blame for the recent setbacks in quarantine enforcement and the supply of vaccines.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said Monday that U.S. vaccine maker Moderna would only be supplying half of the 8.5 million doses it had promised to deliver this month, due to production-related problems. This was the fourth time the government has been found wanting in its promises regarding the supply of the Moderna vaccine.
In December, Cheong Wa Dae stated that Moderna would start supplying 40 million doses of its vaccine to Korea from the second quarter of 2021, showing Moon in a videoconference with company CEO Stephen Bancel and crediting the President for ensuring an adequate supply.
However, this has had repeated setbacks ― only 112,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine arrived in Korea in late June, and the amount expected in mid-July was delayed to later in the month, and then to August, casting serious concerns on the company's production capacity.
Despite these continued setbacks, Moon said Monday, “There is no way we can control the vaccine supply because we have to rely on a handful of foreign vaccine makers.” But he reiterated his promise to have more than 36 million Koreans, or 70 percent of the population, vaccinated by the Chuseok holiday period, which starts Sept. 20. However, he did not mention any alternative ways to secure more vaccines.
It became the health minister's duty to apologize to the public, who are striving to make reservations for leftover vaccines through apps and websites.
“As the head of government's vaccine taskforce, I apologize to the public for the supply setback,” Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-cheol said upon announcing Moderna's latest supply setback, Monday.
Criticism even grew as Moon held an event Thursday touting the improvements made in the country's national health insurance plan during his tenure.
Describing his policies as “Moon Jae-in care,” he noted the country's health insurance coverage has significantly expanded in the past four years, enabling 37 million Koreans to save 9.2 trillion won ($7.94 billion) in medical expenses.
“Thanks to the policies, we could successfully cope with COVID-19 prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and all other areas related to infectious diseases,” Moon said. “The health insurance system has played the role of final defense in the country's battle against the pandemic.”
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) denounced this event. “The Moon government is behaving nonsensically by complimenting itself in this severe situation,” PPP floor leader Kim Gi-hyeon said, Thursday. “The President should explain the situation and apologize to the public.”
A presidential apology requires extra caution, given their stature as the country's chief executive and the political aftermath that could come afterward. Thus, previous presidents oftentimes resorted to vague phrases such as “feeling regret,” giving the impression that they were looking on at the situation as an observer.
With his tenure heading toward its final stages, Moon appears to be increasingly following in the footsteps of his predecessors. When the Cheonghae naval unit returned home from an overseas mission due to a COVID-19 infection among its members, the President said “the government cannot avoid criticism,” triggering criticisms for trying to dodge his responsibility.
Though only nine months are left for Moon as President, it seems to be time for him to recall what he promised to the public when he was sworn in May 2017: “I will not dare do something impossible. Instead, I will honestly apologize for any mistakes. I will not ignore public opinion.”
President Moon Jae-in takes the oath of office during his inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly in Seoul, May 10, 2017. Korea Times file