By Kang Seung-woo
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon faced attacks from his critics Friday for using the MERS situation to promote his potential presidential bid.
The attacks followed a Thursday night news conference in which he mentioned a doctor at a large hospital, now a confirmed patient, coming into contact with more than 1,000 people.
The late-night stunt highlighted the lack of leadership by the current government in dealing with the MERS situation which, according to a poll, has caused President Park Geun-hye's approval ratings to nose-dive to 34 percent.
The government, Cheong Wa Dae and President Park expressed regret about the mayor's move.
"Should a local government or a relevant agency singlehandedly attempt to tackle MERS, such an action can create a mess and bring no effective countermeasures," Park said during a visit to the National Medical Center in Seoul, where MERS patients are quarantined.
The visit was her first on-site inspection since the outbreak on May 20.
"In this respect, the central and local governments need to closely communicate with each other and make concerted efforts," she added.
"It is important for each local government and relevant body to first report to the central MERS countermeasure headquarters about its actions."
Earlier in the day, a Cheong Wa Dae official said, "Regarding the mayor's announcement, there are wildly different stories regarding the infected doctor."
"We are deeply concerned about rising public anxiety because of what he said."
The mayor decided to hold the press conference because he believed the central government and the Ministry of Health and Welfare were failing to share relevant information.
The mayor said the doctor in question attended a union meeting for the reconstruction of an apartment complex in Gaepo-dong, Seoul, which was attended by a total of 1,565 local people.
The presidential office said the mayor had it wrong.
"According to the welfare ministry, it asked the Seoul Metropolitan Government to submit the attendee list of the union meeting Tuesday, but the latter didn't. In addition, the two sides agreed to take necessary measures after obtaining the list the next day," it said.
Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo accused Mayor Park of creating undue public concern.
"The ministry swiftly performed an epidemiologic investigation in the wake of the MERS confirmation in the doctor and contacted Seoul City about countermeasures," Moo said in a briefing.
"The Seoul mayor should have been cautious in the public announcement saying that all the attendees were prone to MERS infection in terms of personal protection."
Meanwhile, the run-in extended to the National Assembly.
The ruling Saenuri Party, currently on bad terms with the presidential office due to a revision to the National Assembly Law, joined hands with it to bash the Seoul mayor.
"The Seoul mayor needs to cooperate with the government to contain the spread of MERS and ease public concern, but he held an emergency briefing releasing an untruthful story which has intensified the anxiety among the people," Saenuri floor leader Yoo Seong-min said at a party meeting.
He also called on the government to consider releasing information at a proper level and strengthening the quarantine, saying MERS has put the country into a national crisis situation.
On the other hand, the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) supported the Seoul mayor, urging President Park Geun-hye to spearhead government efforts to tackle MERS.
"As Mayor Park took his own preventive measures, President Park should do such a thing for the nation," NPAD Chairman Moon Jae-in said in a party meeting.
"Seoul is on alert against MERS as the government's actions have turned out to be ineffective. It should review its countermeasures," Moon said.
Political analysts said that Thursday's press conference may bring adverse effects to the Seoul mayor, who is seen as one of the NPAD's strong presidential candidates.
"The announcement is a kind of populist move to show that he can effectively deal with the disease unlike President Park," said Professor Chung Goon-gi of Hongik University.
"Given that MERS is a national disaster, the mayor should have discussed it with the health minister and held a joint press conference with him."
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| Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon presides over a meeting with mayors and heads of district offices at the Seoul City Hall, Friday. / Yonhap |
The attacks followed a Thursday night news conference in which he mentioned a doctor at a large hospital, now a confirmed patient, coming into contact with more than 1,000 people.
The late-night stunt highlighted the lack of leadership by the current government in dealing with the MERS situation which, according to a poll, has caused President Park Geun-hye's approval ratings to nose-dive to 34 percent.
The government, Cheong Wa Dae and President Park expressed regret about the mayor's move.
"Should a local government or a relevant agency singlehandedly attempt to tackle MERS, such an action can create a mess and bring no effective countermeasures," Park said during a visit to the National Medical Center in Seoul, where MERS patients are quarantined.
The visit was her first on-site inspection since the outbreak on May 20.
"In this respect, the central and local governments need to closely communicate with each other and make concerted efforts," she added.
"It is important for each local government and relevant body to first report to the central MERS countermeasure headquarters about its actions."
Earlier in the day, a Cheong Wa Dae official said, "Regarding the mayor's announcement, there are wildly different stories regarding the infected doctor."
"We are deeply concerned about rising public anxiety because of what he said."
The mayor decided to hold the press conference because he believed the central government and the Ministry of Health and Welfare were failing to share relevant information.
The mayor said the doctor in question attended a union meeting for the reconstruction of an apartment complex in Gaepo-dong, Seoul, which was attended by a total of 1,565 local people.
The presidential office said the mayor had it wrong.
"According to the welfare ministry, it asked the Seoul Metropolitan Government to submit the attendee list of the union meeting Tuesday, but the latter didn't. In addition, the two sides agreed to take necessary measures after obtaining the list the next day," it said.
Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo accused Mayor Park of creating undue public concern.
"The ministry swiftly performed an epidemiologic investigation in the wake of the MERS confirmation in the doctor and contacted Seoul City about countermeasures," Moo said in a briefing.
"The Seoul mayor should have been cautious in the public announcement saying that all the attendees were prone to MERS infection in terms of personal protection."
Meanwhile, the run-in extended to the National Assembly.
The ruling Saenuri Party, currently on bad terms with the presidential office due to a revision to the National Assembly Law, joined hands with it to bash the Seoul mayor.
"The Seoul mayor needs to cooperate with the government to contain the spread of MERS and ease public concern, but he held an emergency briefing releasing an untruthful story which has intensified the anxiety among the people," Saenuri floor leader Yoo Seong-min said at a party meeting.
He also called on the government to consider releasing information at a proper level and strengthening the quarantine, saying MERS has put the country into a national crisis situation.
On the other hand, the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) supported the Seoul mayor, urging President Park Geun-hye to spearhead government efforts to tackle MERS.
"As Mayor Park took his own preventive measures, President Park should do such a thing for the nation," NPAD Chairman Moon Jae-in said in a party meeting.
"Seoul is on alert against MERS as the government's actions have turned out to be ineffective. It should review its countermeasures," Moon said.
Political analysts said that Thursday's press conference may bring adverse effects to the Seoul mayor, who is seen as one of the NPAD's strong presidential candidates.
"The announcement is a kind of populist move to show that he can effectively deal with the disease unlike President Park," said Professor Chung Goon-gi of Hongik University.
"Given that MERS is a national disaster, the mayor should have discussed it with the health minister and held a joint press conference with him."
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