Politicians slammed for violating COVID-19 gathering ban

Arriving passengers are guided by a quarantine official at Incheon International Airport, Tuesday. Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

Politicians are drawing criticism for violating the government's ban on gatherings of five or more people.

Rep. Woo Sang-ho of the Democratic Party of Korea / Korea Times file

The lawmakers raising eyebrows are all from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).

Jung District Office in Seoul said Tuesday that it plans to fine Rep. Woo Sang-ho for violating the government's social distancing rule that bans personal gatherings of five or more people across the nation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Woo, a four-term lawmaker and former DPK floor leader, has been under siege after being found to have had drinks with five acquaintances at a restaurant in the district, April 8, a day after the Seoul and Busan by-elections, in which the ruling party suffered a stunning loss.

According to Woo's aides, the lawmaker and his two assistants visited the restaurant and were accompanied by another three who described themselves as his supporters. They also said the lawmaker stayed with them for only five minutes.

The social distancing rules stipulate that restaurants are fined up to 3 million won ($2,709) in case of a violation, while customers are fined up to 100,000 won each.

Rep. Lee Hack-young is also in the hot seat over an alleged violation of the social distancing rules.

According to the main opposition People Power Party, Lee held a meeting with 10 party members in a vinyl greenhouse in his constituency of Gunpo, Gyeonggi Province, April 14.

Rep. Lee Hack-young of the Democratic Party of Korea / Korea Times file

However, Lee's aides explained that the gathering was a “public” meeting, where they had coffee and tea without eating food.

“It was a public meeting, which means it was not a violation of the government's quarantine guidelines,” an official at Lee's office said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Lee Kai-ho of the DPK has become the first National Assembly member to test positive for the coronavirus, April 15. According to quarantine authorities, Lee's secretary visited a bar with four others, violating the gathering ban. Including the secretary, three of the five people were infected and the lawmaker contracted the virus later.