By John Burton
Although there has been criticism by some Koreans about the government's response to the coronavirus, the country is seen in the U.S. as the gold standard in dealing with the outbreak.
Commentators in the U.S. media have widely praised Korea for its robust efforts in tackling the illness and ask why America cannot do the same. Although the number of cases in Korea is around 8,000 at the time of writing this column, the outbreak appears on a downward trajectory. In contrast, although the number of cases in the U.S. is officially nearing 3,000, most experts estimate that the true number is at least 10,000 so far.
We really don't know how many Americans have been infected since diagnostic testing has not really begun. It is in this area that Korea has especially been celebrated for its conduct.
Korea has been successful in containing the outbreak by identifying and quarantining those with COVID-19 as quickly as possible to reduce transmission of the disease. This reflects the fact that Korea learned its lessons in dealing with earlier disease outbreaks, such as SARS in 20119 and MERS in 2012, and put standard operating procedures in place to address the next threat.
Meanwhile, confusion reigns in the U.S. due to an apparent lack of actionable containment plans and coordination. The U.S. government remains far behind Korea when it comes to conducting a transparent information campaign, high volume testing, the disinfection of contaminated spaces and the effective quarantining and treatment of infected individuals.
The botched U.S. response is due to a number of factors, including arrogance and hubris. U.S. President Donald Trump initially played down the COVID-19 outbreak because he saw it as a threat to his re-election chances this year. The U.S. also turned down an offer from the World Health Organization to provide testing kits from Germany and elsewhere. The U.S., which prides itself on allegedly having "the best healthcare system in the world," said it would develop its own testing kits, which failed when they were initially rolled out.
So while Korea is testing 10,000 to 15,000 people a day, the rate in the U.S. is a few hundred at most so far. Moreover, Americans express amazement at Korea's ability to track those diagnosed with COVID-19 and inform the public of their whereabouts through automated text messages to curb contact with those infected.
As a result, Korea appears to have nipped COVID-19 in the bud, while the U.S., having fumbled its initial steps at containment, is now in full panic mode by shutting down public events and as people rush to clear stores of food and other vital items. The U.S. is now likely to follow the path of Italy. Although Italy has taken drastic measures after an initial complacent response to the illness, the number of cases continues to climb.
One of the great strengths of Korea in a time of crisis is that it has a strong sense of social community. I have seen this at work before, such as during the 1997 financial crisis. This puts Korea at an advantage in contrast to more individualistic societies such as the U.S. and Italy. The lack of voluntary public cooperation is why they may have more problems in getting COVID-19 under control. One TV report in the U.S., for example, noted how Koreans were voluntarily rationing their purchase of face masks to allow their availability for others, a good example of a cooperative approach in meeting the COVID-19 challenge.
The only damage to Korea's public image in the U.S. has been the behavior of the Shincheonji church group, which is believed to have brought COVID-19 from China. This has enforced the belief among some Americans, who remember the Unification Church and its "Moonies," that Korea is a land of cults.
One potential problem that both Korea and the U.S. face is that COVID-19 will contribute to increased political polarization. The conservative media in Korea has criticized the Moon administration for "incompetence" by failing to bar Chinese from entering the country and being responsible for a shortage of face masks. In America, President Trump is touting his decision to impose entry bans on visitors from China and Europe, while his liberal critics take him to task for failing to mitigate the outbreak at home. This is taking place against the background of elections in Korea and the U.S.
One worry is that seniors, who are the most vulnerable portion of population to COVID-19, are the strongest supporters of conservative parties in both countries. They are distrustful or dismissive of useful advice given by what they consider "liberal" sources. This will undermine efforts to contain the virus.
John Burton (johnburtonft@yahoo.com), a former Korea correspondent for the Financial Times, is a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and consultant.
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Commentators in the U.S. media have widely praised Korea for its robust efforts in tackling the illness and ask why America cannot do the same. Although the number of cases in Korea is around 8,000 at the time of writing this column, the outbreak appears on a downward trajectory. In contrast, although the number of cases in the U.S. is officially nearing 3,000, most experts estimate that the true number is at least 10,000 so far.
We really don't know how many Americans have been infected since diagnostic testing has not really begun. It is in this area that Korea has especially been celebrated for its conduct.
Korea has been successful in containing the outbreak by identifying and quarantining those with COVID-19 as quickly as possible to reduce transmission of the disease. This reflects the fact that Korea learned its lessons in dealing with earlier disease outbreaks, such as SARS in 20119 and MERS in 2012, and put standard operating procedures in place to address the next threat.
Meanwhile, confusion reigns in the U.S. due to an apparent lack of actionable containment plans and coordination. The U.S. government remains far behind Korea when it comes to conducting a transparent information campaign, high volume testing, the disinfection of contaminated spaces and the effective quarantining and treatment of infected individuals.
The botched U.S. response is due to a number of factors, including arrogance and hubris. U.S. President Donald Trump initially played down the COVID-19 outbreak because he saw it as a threat to his re-election chances this year. The U.S. also turned down an offer from the World Health Organization to provide testing kits from Germany and elsewhere. The U.S., which prides itself on allegedly having "the best healthcare system in the world," said it would develop its own testing kits, which failed when they were initially rolled out.
So while Korea is testing 10,000 to 15,000 people a day, the rate in the U.S. is a few hundred at most so far. Moreover, Americans express amazement at Korea's ability to track those diagnosed with COVID-19 and inform the public of their whereabouts through automated text messages to curb contact with those infected.
As a result, Korea appears to have nipped COVID-19 in the bud, while the U.S., having fumbled its initial steps at containment, is now in full panic mode by shutting down public events and as people rush to clear stores of food and other vital items. The U.S. is now likely to follow the path of Italy. Although Italy has taken drastic measures after an initial complacent response to the illness, the number of cases continues to climb.
One of the great strengths of Korea in a time of crisis is that it has a strong sense of social community. I have seen this at work before, such as during the 1997 financial crisis. This puts Korea at an advantage in contrast to more individualistic societies such as the U.S. and Italy. The lack of voluntary public cooperation is why they may have more problems in getting COVID-19 under control. One TV report in the U.S., for example, noted how Koreans were voluntarily rationing their purchase of face masks to allow their availability for others, a good example of a cooperative approach in meeting the COVID-19 challenge.
The only damage to Korea's public image in the U.S. has been the behavior of the Shincheonji church group, which is believed to have brought COVID-19 from China. This has enforced the belief among some Americans, who remember the Unification Church and its "Moonies," that Korea is a land of cults.
One potential problem that both Korea and the U.S. face is that COVID-19 will contribute to increased political polarization. The conservative media in Korea has criticized the Moon administration for "incompetence" by failing to bar Chinese from entering the country and being responsible for a shortage of face masks. In America, President Trump is touting his decision to impose entry bans on visitors from China and Europe, while his liberal critics take him to task for failing to mitigate the outbreak at home. This is taking place against the background of elections in Korea and the U.S.
One worry is that seniors, who are the most vulnerable portion of population to COVID-19, are the strongest supporters of conservative parties in both countries. They are distrustful or dismissive of useful advice given by what they consider "liberal" sources. This will undermine efforts to contain the virus.
John Burton (johnburtonft@yahoo.com), a former Korea correspondent for the Financial Times, is a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and consultant.
