Lee Jae-myung: "Obstruction of Quarantine is a Criminal Act...Must Take Stern Measures"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung has ordered stern measures including criminal charges against a couple, members of Seoul's Seongbuk Sarangje First Church, who assaulted health center workers who visited for COVID-19 testing by embracing them and spitting on them.

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 20th, Governor Lee received a briefing on the matter on the morning of that day and stated, "Obstruction of quarantine is a clear criminal act that directly threatens the lives of provincial residents and must be met with stern measures," and added, "Deliver guidelines for stern measures to each city and county to prevent recurrence of similar cases."

Accordingly, the province consulted with Pocheon City to classify the couple's actions as obstruction of official duties and decided to press criminal charges. Additionally, the province is considering applying charges for injury if COVID-19 test results of a Pocheon health center worker come back positive. The province also formally disseminated the Pocheon case to each city and county in the afternoon and implemented official measures to respond sternly to similar cases.

Through an official notice, the province requested that each city and county establish organic cooperative systems with their respective police agencies, make all-out efforts to ensure quarantine measures including testing, and immediately report the situation to the province in the event of similar incidents, applying a zero-tolerance principle and taking strong administrative measures including criminal charges.

Meanwhile, according to the province, on the 17th, two health center workers from Pocheon City visited a restaurant operated by a couple who are members of Seoul's Seongbuk Sarangje First Church and recommended COVID-19 diagnostic testing but were assaulted.

The couple had attended the Gwanghwamun rally on the 15th and were subjects for diagnostic testing. Starting from the 16th, the Pocheon City health center requested the couple to visit for testing, but when they did not comply, workers visited the restaurant directly.

When a health center worker attempted to collect a specimen at the scene, the couple refused the test, saying, "We have met many people, so why should only we be tested?" and even spit on the floor and embraced health center workers by force, saying, "We touched [this floor], so you should get tested too."

After being tested by the health center, the couple received a confirmed diagnosis on the 18th and, despite demanding "a retest," violated isolation protocols by driving to a nearby hospital, causing a commotion before being transferred to an Ansan Community Treatment Center by police who responded to the scene.