Opposition heaps criticism on Moon, health minister

The conservative opposition on Thursday slammed the Moon Jae-in administration for gross “incompetence and negligence” in tackling the coronavirus outbreak.

“Running away from the responsibility and turning a blind eye to what experts have to say about COVID-19 is evidence the Moon government is just unfit to govern,” said Shim Jae-cheol, floor leader of the United Future Party.

Shim urged Health Minister Park Neung-hoo to step down over his remarks that Koreans, not Chinese, were to blame in the country’s rapid spread of COVID-19, which originated in Wuhan, China. He said the government is responsible for not blocking Chinese and preventing them from bringing the virus.

The conservative bloc has been calling for a complete entry ban on all Chinese travelers since infections began skyrocketing in the neighboring country. But the government imposed the restriction on only arrivals from Wuhan’s Hubei province.

Also on Thursday, Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn of the United Future Party visited the virus-hit city of Daegu. He stopped by Seomun Market to console merchants. The market is one of the three largest local markets housing more than 4,000 shops.

“The street is totally deserted here in Daegu. And I wonder who is to blame,” Hwang was quoted as saying. “I know I'm one, because I’ve failed to prevent the consequences of the Moon government’s collective missteps.”

For the first time in its history, the market is closed until next week in response to the spike in infections linked to church services near the area.

By Choi Si-young (siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)