Unusual spread of Omicron, are you properly preparing for quarantine?

Newspapers on the morning of the 21st expressed concern about North Korea’s nuclear threat. North Korea said it would consider resuming intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches along with a nuclear test for the first time in three years and nine months. In addition, attention was paid to Omicron, which is spreading as a dominant species of COVID-19.

The Chosun Ilbo said on the front page of the same day, “It is known that North Korea is likely to launch a high-intensity provocation next month to coincide with the 80th anniversary of Kim Jong-il’s birthday.” Relations with North Korea will return to their pre-Singapore summit in 2018, and the plan for the peace process on the Korean Peninsula, which the Moon Jae-in government has worked hard for throughout his administration, will be effectively sentenced to death.”

The Dong-A Ilbo also reported the news on the front page. The Dong-A Ilbo reported, “The military authorities believe that if North Korea actually breaks the nuclear and ICBM moratorium declaration for the first time in four years and takes action, it will most likely come out with a ‘new solid fuel ICBM’ that can load multiple nuclear warheads and strike the entire U.S. at the same time. “The launch of the world’s largest Hwasong-17 ICBM or a surprise nuclear test, which North Korea has already unveiled at a military parade, is also considered a possible provocation scenario.”

The JoongAng Ilbo said, “Experts pay attention to the 8th Party Congress held in January last year in relation to North Korea’s future actions. At that time, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un suggested the development of strategic weapons such as the development of small and lightweight tactical nuclear weapons, the production of super-large nuclear warheads, and the securing of sophisticated strike capabilities with a range of 15,000 km. It also presented five core tasks: solid-state ICBMs, nuclear submarines and underwater strategic nuclear weapons, military reconnaissance satellites, and unmanned reconnaissance aircraft.”

The Hankook Ilbo said, “If you look inside North Korea, it has a strong character to somehow draw the attention of the United States, which is consistent with the ‘maintaining the status quo’ on the North Korean issue. North Korea conducted both search and pressure on the United States in 2021,” he said. However, when the Biden administration did not comply with North Korea’s demands such as the ‘abolition of double standards’, rather than acquiesced to it with additional sanctions, he pulled out a card of ultra-strong pressure.”

Omicron proliferation is not unusual. The number of new COVID-19 cases is approaching 7,000. Although it is evaluated that the spread of Omicron mutation is progressing faster than expected, some point out that the government’s preparations for Omicron’s quarantine measures are only slow.

The Hankyoreh said, “It is also pointed out that preparations for a new quarantine system are slow compared to the rate of increase in the number of confirmed cases. Omicron’s quarantine response experiment is only now limitedly starting in some areas of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.” He said, “The Seoul City Council is promoting the ‘Seoul-type model of home treatment clinic-level managed medical institution’ in which local clinicians participate in home treatment management.” reported

The Kyunghyang Shinmun reported, “Compared to the imminent emergence of omicron mutation dominant species, there is also a response that there is confusion in the field as guidelines for home treatment and rapid antigen test use have been delayed.” However, this is because there are no detailed guidelines for reference in the actual field, such as front-line local hospitals and clinics. Experts said that we need to change the response from the parts that can be prepared quickly.”

The Seoul Shimbun said, “As the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s mathematical model study, if there are more than 20,000 confirmed cases per day at the end of February and 30,000 at the end of March, it will be difficult to maintain the current strategy of examining even asymptomatic individuals, finding and treating them.” “Therefore, the government’s strategy is to concentrate limited resources on managing high-risk groups to suppress the growth of critically ill patients to a level that the medical system can withstand,” he said.

The Segye Ilbo said, “The government plans to go through the ‘preparation stage’ when there are 5,000 confirmed cases and switch to the ‘response stage’ when there are 7,000 cases. The quarantine period will be shortened, and local hospitals and clinics will participate in COVID-19 testing and treatment. The prospect that the transition to the response stage may be faster than expected is also gaining strength,” he explained.

The morning newspaper also reported that Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate for People’s Strength, had a dinner meeting with Rep. Hong Jun-pyo on the 19th to discuss the formation of a ‘one team’, but only conflicts broke out.

The March 9 re-election will be held in five constituencies: Jongno, Seochogap, Jung/Nam-gu, Daegu, Anseong, Gyeonggi, and Cheongju-dang. Rep. Hong has requested strategic nominations from those who helped him in two of them.

The Kookmin Ilbo reported, “Rep. Hong requested strategic nominations for the by-election of the National Assembly members to be held on March 9th along with the March 9 general election for two people who helped him during the presidential election, including former Chief Auditor General Choi Jae-hyung and former Daegu Suseong-gu Mayor Lee Jin-hoon at a meeting. That was the starting point,” he said.

The Hankook Ilbo, which continues to report meaningful news on the ‘Daejang-dong suspicion’ every day, also included a related article in the morning newspaper that day. This time, Su-mi Eun raised allegations of involvement in Seongnam Mayor.

The Hankook Ilbo released the transcript they obtained and said, “There are traces of Kim Man-bae’s attempt to acquire the silver market for the success of the Ori Station project. According to the ordinance, apartment houses cannot be built. In order to build officetels, etc., it is necessary to move Seongnam City and change its use to a ‘residential area’,” he said.

He added, “In the transcript, there are frequent references to the trial of the mayor who was charged with violating the Political Fund Act.”