Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday that it would go ahead with the recruitment exam slated for Saturday despite concerns that the large-scale event could expose applicants to the risk of Middle East respiratory syndrome.
The city, instead, will dispatch police and supervisors for applicants placed on watch for MERS infection to take their test at home.
The Seoul Human Resource Development Center said that the examination to select public officials for the city will proceed as planned since its postponement could cause confusion and aggravate groundless panic.
Applicants who are isolated at their homes ― to be monitored for possible MERS infection ― will be allowed to take the test indoors, each under the watch of two test supervisors, a nurse and a police officer, president of SHRDC Ahn Joon-ho said in a press briefing. The center is in charge of selecting and educating the city’s public officials.
“We will be making sure that there are no doubts about fairness by ensuring that the exam is conducted in the same manner as it would at the actual venue,” Ahn said.
The city has been checking the list of all 130,033 applicants, and identified single-digit numbers of MERS suspects, city officials said.
Seoul City, under the vanguard of Mayor Park Won-soon, has been going all-out to take preventive measures against the outbreak. He had slammed the central government for downplaying the virus and vowed to take all due measures saying that “being overprotective is better than being belated when it comes to safety of the citizens.”
Critics have condemned Park for fanning public fear of MERS but later being inconsistent by deciding to push ahead with the exam that would involve large crowds gathering in an enclosed space.
Seoul City has so far canceled most of its large-scale cultural and sports events and is currently operating a 24-hour transportation service for MERS suspects while expanding the workforce at call centers.
“Mayor Park who has openly favored ‘overprotective measures’ has presented a sloppy plan for the examination. … What about those with symptoms still coming to take the test using public transportation?” said ruling Saenuri Party Rep. Ha Tae-keung on his Facebook account earlier this week.
The city said it will receive requests to take the exam at home by Friday. Such applicants will be required to submit a notification of MERS watch certified by the respective public health centers.
On the day of the exam, the city will open just one entrance and minimize the flow of traffic. All participants will be required to sanitize their hands and get their fever checked. Nurses and ambulance crew will be on stand by for emergencies.
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
