On September 28, Representative Kim Tae-nyeon of the Democratic Party of Korea criticized Representative Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party for calling to delay visa-free entry for Chinese tourists due to a fire at the National Computing and Information Service, saying that Na is inciting anti-China sentiment.
Kim expressed his disapproval on Facebook, stating, “It’s truly disappointing to see Representative Na once again provoking anti-China sentiment and discrimination under the pretext of a national data network fire.”
He emphasized that the data network fire is a serious issue directly linked to the routine lives and safety of the public, criticizing Na for using public anxiety to pursue her political agenda.
Kim further remarked, “The network incident is not just a problem for a particular country or its nationals, but affects all citizens and users. Therefore, targeting a specific country and inciting fear and hatred is either delusional or a typical example of extreme right-wing behavior.”
He concluded by stating, “What is needed now is a thorough investigation of the cause, measures to prevent recurrence, and a strong rejection of division and hatred through responsible politics,” urging Na to exhibit the responsibility expected of a senior politician.
Previously, upon learning about the government data network fire, Na commented on Facebook that due to the fire, it became impossible to issue resident registration certificates, internal network access for public officials was cut off, and even mobile official IDs could not be used, creating a situation where citizens’ identities could not be verified.
Na voiced concerns that starting from the following Monday, September 29, when the Lee Jae-myung administration permits visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists, there could be a significant influx of Chinese nationals, increasing public anxiety and concern. She called for a thorough plan including system recovery, personal information protection, identity verification, and establishing a redundant system before considering allowing visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists.