Ultra-right-wing critics blast Moon while in quarantine

Ultra-right-wing critics of the Moon Jae-in administration who tested positive for the new coronavirus after attending a mass protest Aug. 15 continue to blast the government and complain about its policies, as well as the food provided to the people in quarantine.

Jun Kwang-hun, pastor of Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul, said in an interview with ultra-right-wing YouTuber Joo Ok-soon that “President Moon and the pro-North (Korea) left-wingers are trying to get rid of the church to turn South Korea into a socialist nation.”

Both Jun and Joo have tested positive for the coronavirus and are in quarantine.

“Over the 70 years since the Republic of Korea was founded, President Moon and followers of the (North’s) juche ideology have lived with the goal of eventually making South Korea a part of North Korea after forming a federation (with the North), and then a system of ‘one nation with two regimes,’” Jun said in his telephone interview with Joo during her live broadcast Monday on her YouTube channel, titled the “Joo Ok-soon TV Mommy Broadcast.”

“They know the biggest resistance comes from the church. That is why they are persecuting us.”

Jun went on to say that Moon and his people “devoted all their energy to get rid of Sarang Jeil Church because we are not easily cajoled.”

Jun said he is fine with being behind bars again, as he has been to prison several times.

Joo and her husband were found to be not fully cooperating with their local health center’s epidemiological inquiries.

“The couple did not answer our calls, gave us a wrong mobile phone number, and lied about their whereabouts,” an official with the county office of Gapyeong said.

The county office decided to file a complaint against the couple with the police.

Under the law on the prevention of infectious disease, those who refuse to take part in epidemiological surveys without a valid reason can incur jail time of up to two years or fines of up to 20 million won ($16,830).

Another anti-Moon YouTuber, Shin Hye-shik, whose channel is called “God’s Move,” complained about the food provided by the hospital he was admitted to.

“This is bad. It’s bad. Salad pasta? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Don’t you have soup? Something spicy,” Shin said on his YouTube broadcast Monday.

Shin also called the community treatment center where he is being held a “prisoner camp for political criminals,” claiming he was locked up just because he tested positive for the coronavirus when he wasn’t even sick.

Some 1.29 million people subscribe to Shin’s YouTube channel.

Choi Won-young, a nurse at Seoul National University Hospital, criticized what she called the abusive behavior of some of the people under quarantine there.

Mentioning that Shin proudly spoke about confronting a nurse, Choi said, “I feel so bad for the nurse (who dealt with Shin). Whenever you receive a parcel or food delivery, the nurse has to wear a hazardous materials suit, which is suffocating, especially in this summer heat.

“The (medical staff) are working under severe conditions. It angered me so much that instead of thanking the hardworking staff, these people are making preposterous demands. … You’ve been admitted to a hospital because you’re confirmed with COVID-19. Do you think you’re ordering room service at a hotel?” she said in an interview with MBC-TV.

Choi said nurses can hand over important items to those in quarantine, but some people repeatedly order food and parcels.

“These YouTubers deliver wrong information, or defame medical staff by claiming they are being locked up and abused,” she said.

“Sowing distrust in people by raising conspiracies about the government’s disease prevention or treatment system will only worsen the situation.”

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)