Coronavirus bounces back to threaten Korea's health system

Just five days after South Korean President Moon Jae-in declared that the nation had "surmounted" the coronavirus crisis, new cases of the illness are once again spiking to five-month highs. Epidemiologists have warned that the nation's healthcare system — particularly in Seoul and the surrounding region — is in danger of collapsing.

Addressing the nation on Saturday, the 75th anniversary of Korea's liberation at the end of World War II, Moon said, "We have also overcome the COVID-19 crisis through the government, individuals, medical professionals and business leaders trusting and relying on each other." He added that Korea's response to the crisis had been "lauded by the entire world."

Read more: Coronavirus digest: South Korean capital struggles to contain new outbreak

The government's optimism was fueled by a mere 56 cases being reported across the country last Thursday, August 13, ahead of one of the most important holiday weekends on the South Korean calendar. On Sunday, however, hospitals were faced with 279 new infections, the first time that the national figure had topped the 200 level since the early days of the crisis in early March.

The figure continued to climb and hit a five-month high of 297 infections on Wednesday. To date, there have been a total of more than 16,000 infections and 306 fatalities.

'Relaxed too soon'

"We had been doing so well, but it looks as if we relaxed too soon," said Ahn Yinhay, a professor at Korea University in Seoul.

"I think that so many people wanted to get out over the holiday weekend, people have been given coupons by the government to go to shops, the cinema and restaurants to give the economy a boost, and they thought it was safe again," she told DW.

"There were also huge demonstrations against the government in central Seoul over the weekend, while there are a number of churches that have also been linked to clusters of infections because people did not want to wear masks or follow social distancing guidelines," she said.

"I also think that young people have become bored with the rules and they do not think that it will affect them, so they are going out again and meeting their friends," the expert added. "And yes, they may be more resistant to the virus, but they are spreading it and making their elderly relatives seriously ill."

Read more: South Korean FM on the coronavirus: 'We have to live with this risk'

In an effort to halt the spread of the illness in a nation of 51.6 million, the government announced the reintroduction of enhanced social distancing guidelines on Wednesday, including bans on outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people and 50 if an event is indoors. Baseball matches are being played in empty stadiums and high-risk venues, such as karaoke bars, PC cafes and buffet restaurants, have been ordered to shut down.

The concern among experts, however, is that this second wave of infections has already taken a firm grip on the country.

Health system 'collapse'

Jung Eun-kyeong, the director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Monday that the country is facing a "collapse of the health system" if measures to halt the spread of the virus were not urgently acted upon.

The risk of infection "has extended beyond high-risk establishments to lurk in everyday places, such as restaurants, cafes, bars and grocery stores," she said, adding that, "There could be a larger share of individuals with minimal or no symptoms who are going undetected."

While there have been clusters of cases linked to coffee shops, schools and distribution centers, much of the blame has been aimed at churches and religious leaders who have defied requests from the government and health authorities to restrict face-to-face services and ensure that members of their congregations maintain a safe distance from each other.

Of all the religious groups facing scrutiny, the Sarang Jeil Church is directly in the spotlight. Hundreds of its members have recently tested positive for the virus. Nearly 3,300 total followers have been tested, although health authorities have confirmed that they have not been able to locate 400 individuals who have recently attended services.

Read more: South Korea church leader arrested over coronavirus outbreak

Jun Kwang-hoon, the pastor of the church, has led street rallies against the government's restrictions and demanded that his followers be guaranteed religious freedom. On Sunday, thousands of people protested in central Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square, many of them not wearing masks. Jun was diagnosed with the virus this week.

As a result of the resistance to requests to follow the rules, churches in Seoul have been ordered to halt all in-person services until the end of August and, after Sarang Jeil officials refused to provide health authorities with a list of its followers, the Seoul city government filed a criminal complaint against Jun for "wasting administrative resources and budget by evading, lying or disobeying during screening and tracing procedures."

People 'frustrated'

David Tizzard, an assistant professor at Seoul Women's University and a commentator on social issues, said many South Koreans have become "frustrated" in the extended lockdown.

"They are frustrated when they go out and see other people behaving carelessly and not upholding the social contract on thinking about the health of those around them," Tizzard told DW. "While the other issue is that it is the summer holidays here now and everyone wants to get away for a few days. They are creatures of habit, like people anywhere, and they want to go on holiday to the beach just as they have done every summer for years. They are looking for normality at a very abnormal time."

Read more: Spike in South Korean infections linked to one man’s night out

Professor Ahn says she is taking all the precautions she can so she does not catch or spread the virus among her family and friends, but she is very concerned that this "second wave" is a harbinger of an even more serious time when the autumn sets in and both the coronavirus and seasonal flu are spreading.

"The health system is at risk of being overwhelmed," she said. "If things do get worse, then it could take the nation, the economy years to fully recover. People have to understand that they need to take precautions now because going back to our previous lives right now is too early and much too dangerous."

This is an updated version of a previous article.