South Korea and the Coronavirus
How South Korea managed to get one step ahead of the pandemic.
Siann | 12/1/20
The coronavirus has had an effect on every nation. This series covers single nations and their responses to the coronavirus.
On January 20th, 2020, both the United States and South Korea saw their first confirmed case of COVID-19. Now, as of December, South Korea, a country with a population of about one-sixth of the United States, has less than 1 in 400 of the amount of total cases the US has and fewer than 1 in 500 total deaths. So how did this fairly populated country manage to get one step ahead of COVID-19 without locking everyone in their homes?
Immediately after the first case in January, South Korea responded alarmingly fast. Their testing kits were rapidly developed and even authorized by February. Testing was highly encouraged, and the government teamed up with private sectors to set up hundreds of clinics, over 90 medical institutions, and adequate testing/supplies. By March, South Korea had already conducted about 100,000 coronavirus tests, while the US had only done about 5,000. In contrast to South Korea’s aggressive ‘test everyone and everything’ approach, the United States waited, hesitant to inform the public of this potentially deadly disease, and fell behind due to testing kit complications with the CDC and delays in administering improved ones. Furthermore, scientists outside of the government were having difficulties getting their tests approved. Basically, it was a bureaucratic disaster.
Even now, South Korea continues to have an abnormally fast response time to COVID disasters. As schools were beginning to open up in May and June, coronavirus cases began to rise in August, which prompted many schools in Seoul to resume online learning.
Part of the disparity within responses and statistics is caused by the difference in cultural norms between South Korea and the United States. When cases began to rise, South Korea began tracking coronavirus, legally utilizing cell phone data, GPS data, credit card history, and using surveillance cameras, things that many Americans would be horrified at. Essentially South Korea vigorously tracked down coronavirus hotspots, alerted every potential coronavirus patient, and allowed everyone else to continue on with their daily lives with cautionary measures.
Generally, Americans tend to have a more self-interested mindset and are typically driven by individual motives rather than their sense of social responsibility. Many Americans prioritize privacy, and enforcing policies similar to South Korea would compromise certain individual liberties. Although it could be argued that forfeiting a little bit of information about ourselves would be better than a nationwide lockdown. Generally, there is also more distrust between the American government and people, especially when there is weak leadership. The American government’s response to the BLM movement may have fueled this lack of trust since these technologies were instead being used to track down protestors.
This cultural difference can also be partially credited to experience. Unlike the United States, South Korea has been through a number of these types of airborne contagions before. South Korea has always had high rates of TB (Tuberculosis), an extremely infectious respiratory disease, and masks were a common sight even before the pandemic. Especially, after MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) in 2015, many South Koreans viewed these information and communications technologies as effective tools for the public good rather than what many Americans would see as an infringement on human rights. Many South Korean residents have commended their government’s coronavirus efforts and have expressed that they appreciate their transparency.
Currently, South Korea is experiencing a third wave in COVID cases. However, waves may be the wrong word. In comparison to the United States, South Korea has little bumps in their amount of daily new COVID cases. These bumps were largely due to religious activity such as the coronavirus cluster in February where almost 5,000 cases were traced back to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. However, these bumps are also not as concerning as they might be in other countries since South Korea has continuously proven its ability to shut down these COVID spikes without a nationwide lockdown.
Regardless of the hiccups, South Korea was able to effectively flatten, some may say even crush the curve without a mandatory lockdown. Victoria Hahm, a student residing in South Korea, says that although there are strict restrictions especially for travel, mask-wearing, and social-distancing, “many South Koreans say they have adjusted to the new normal” and residents say that almost everything has reopened. While America trailed behind at every step, South Korea was successfully able to detect, contain, and treat COVID-19.
On January 20th, 2020, both the United States and South Korea saw their first confirmed case of COVID-19. Now, as of December, South Korea, a country with a population of about one-sixth of the United States, has less than 1 in 400 of the amount of total cases the US has and fewer than 1 in 500 total deaths. So how did this fairly populated country manage to get one step ahead of COVID-19 without locking everyone in their homes?
Immediately after the first case in January, South Korea responded alarmingly fast. Their testing kits were rapidly developed and even authorized by February. Testing was highly encouraged, and the government teamed up with private sectors to set up hundreds of clinics, over 90 medical institutions, and adequate testing/supplies. By March, South Korea had already conducted about 100,000 coronavirus tests, while the US had only done about 5,000. In contrast to South Korea’s aggressive ‘test everyone and everything’ approach, the United States waited, hesitant to inform the public of this potentially deadly disease, and fell behind due to testing kit complications with the CDC and delays in administering improved ones. Furthermore, scientists outside of the government were having difficulties getting their tests approved. Basically, it was a bureaucratic disaster.
Even now, South Korea continues to have an abnormally fast response time to COVID disasters. As schools were beginning to open up in May and June, coronavirus cases began to rise in August, which prompted many schools in Seoul to resume online learning.
Part of the disparity within responses and statistics is caused by the difference in cultural norms between South Korea and the United States. When cases began to rise, South Korea began tracking coronavirus, legally utilizing cell phone data, GPS data, credit card history, and using surveillance cameras, things that many Americans would be horrified at. Essentially South Korea vigorously tracked down coronavirus hotspots, alerted every potential coronavirus patient, and allowed everyone else to continue on with their daily lives with cautionary measures.
Generally, Americans tend to have a more self-interested mindset and are typically driven by individual motives rather than their sense of social responsibility. Many Americans prioritize privacy, and enforcing policies similar to South Korea would compromise certain individual liberties. Although it could be argued that forfeiting a little bit of information about ourselves would be better than a nationwide lockdown. Generally, there is also more distrust between the American government and people, especially when there is weak leadership. The American government’s response to the BLM movement may have fueled this lack of trust since these technologies were instead being used to track down protestors.
This cultural difference can also be partially credited to experience. Unlike the United States, South Korea has been through a number of these types of airborne contagions before. South Korea has always had high rates of TB (Tuberculosis), an extremely infectious respiratory disease, and masks were a common sight even before the pandemic. Especially, after MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) in 2015, many South Koreans viewed these information and communications technologies as effective tools for the public good rather than what many Americans would see as an infringement on human rights. Many South Korean residents have commended their government’s coronavirus efforts and have expressed that they appreciate their transparency.
Currently, South Korea is experiencing a third wave in COVID cases. However, waves may be the wrong word. In comparison to the United States, South Korea has little bumps in their amount of daily new COVID cases. These bumps were largely due to religious activity such as the coronavirus cluster in February where almost 5,000 cases were traced back to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. However, these bumps are also not as concerning as they might be in other countries since South Korea has continuously proven its ability to shut down these COVID spikes without a nationwide lockdown.
Regardless of the hiccups, South Korea was able to effectively flatten, some may say even crush the curve without a mandatory lockdown. Victoria Hahm, a student residing in South Korea, says that although there are strict restrictions especially for travel, mask-wearing, and social-distancing, “many South Koreans say they have adjusted to the new normal” and residents say that almost everything has reopened. While America trailed behind at every step, South Korea was successfully able to detect, contain, and treat COVID-19.