Bravo President Moon!

By David Tizzard

A few months ago, the success of BTS and Bong Joon-ho’s movie Parasite were the latest South Korean exports to be lauded in the extension of the Korean Wave. But now Hallyu has gone health care.

Reading the international news, we see many countries struggling to contain a situation about which they were given reasonable forewarning. The death tolls, large levels of unemployment, and creaking infrastructure are a stark and tragic reminder of the devastation Covid-19 can wreck.

And it is for those reasons that it is worth applauding President Moon’s handling of the current situation. For 15 years I have lived and worked in this country, and never have I felt prouder or more assured that this is a country worthy of respect on the international stage.

Respect that sadly, judging by the remarks from a few recent American commentators decrying it as undemocratic, it doesn’t always receive. But that startling lack of ignorance aside, the WHO and many other nations have now turned to South Korea for knowledge, and know-how.

President Moon’s public support has hit a 16-month public high and his party’s popularity stands 15% higher than the main opposition and their garish pink jackets.

While many have debated the administration’s economic policies, billions of pounds have been spent subsidizing vulnerable families and businesses facing liquidity problems. One cannot deny that the government’s response has been swift and decisive.

Yes, these helicopter drops will likely mean raised taxes and economic difficulties ahead, but I believe he is right to demonstrate that he is doing whatever he can for the people.

These were some of the qualities lacking previously when the country faced danger. The failure to respond to the tragic loss of lives during the sinking of the Sewol sparked a chain of events that eventually led to ex-President Park’s impeachment and ultimate jail sentence.

Perhaps taking lessons from that, President Moon has made himself visible and accountable from the very start.

But it would be incorrect to say this is all the work of one man. President Moon is no Trumpian figure seeking to laud his own television ratings and Twitter ranking while spewing a series of incomprehensible, illogical, and often untrue facts and figures.

Instead, he has been assisted by a series of competent advisors who have contributed greatly to the country’s response.

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha’s appearances on international news – including Andrew Marr’s political BBC program – rightly drew praise. She speaks eloquently, to the point, and even had the courage to raise the issue of the racist attacks some Asian people were facing abroad.

Jung Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC)

Jung Eun-kyeong was appointed to the position of director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) by President Moon in July 2017. An expert in public health and infectious diseases, she has received high praise from many citizens for her knowledge, wisdom, and manner in which she has communicated with the public.

It is worth noting that neither of these appointments are family members or old men. They are qualified experts appointed to their positions on the basis of their skillset and ability to serve the public and the nation.

So, if South Korea is the supposed nepotistic gerontocratic patriarchy, what then does that make the United States that has the President’s son-in-law and other family members in charge of public announcements and two 75-year old men battling to replace him? Is it any wonder that President Trump seemingly gets on better with Chairman Kim up north than he does with President Moon?

The one that probably deserves the most recognition however is, and yes this is a bit like a Time magazine announcement admittedly, is the regular Korean citizen.

The people here have contributed greatly to the country maintaining a reasonable level of safety, not allowing public desires to take precedent over the nation’s well-being, and demonstrating a level of civic duty and responsibility that is to be applauded.

While the history books often praise the citizens for the manner in which they contributed to the country overcoming the Asian Financial Crisis ahead of schedule by donating gold, we may be seeing a new entry written here.

Of course, there is the danger of being overly self-congratulatory. I speak in broad terms and there have been those that have caused problems vis-à-vis controlling the spread of the virus, both Korean and foreign. The Prime Minister Chung Se-kyun has also announced that social distancing is going to be required for the foreseeable future.

A new-wave of outbreaks is predicted to hit the country around August. And the economy is going to require a restructuring on a huge scale at some point – we can expect some high taxes, I’m sure.

But with all that said, as the father of two young children and a professor to approximately 400 undergraduates across two universities, I feel relatively safe in the knowledge that, no matter what may come, the government is doing its best for the people, acting swiftly and letting the experts take control of things when and where necessary.

Bravo, President Moon. Bravo.

David Tizzard (datizzard@swu.ac.kr) is an assistant professor at Seoul Women's University and lectures in politics and history and Hanyang University. He presents economic and cultural issues on "Business Now" on TBS eFM (101.3FM) live every Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.