Over 700 Wuhan Residents Quarantined in Cheonan? Cheonan Citizens Say "What About Us?"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Shin-won] The government has announced plans to repatriate Korean residents stranded in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and quarantine them in temporary accommodations. However, it has come to light that the designated facility is a civil servant training center located in Cheonan, sparking strong opposition from Cheonan citizens.

On the 28th, the government announced plans to repatriate residents from Wuhan via four chartered flights scheduled for the 30th and 31st. Upon return, they will be housed in temporary living facilities for a certain period.

Initially, the briefing statement included two designated locations: the Ujeong Civil Servant Training Center in Yuryang-dong, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan, and the National Youth Center in Mokcheon-eup. The government later replaced this with the phrase, "We are considering utilizing civil servant training facilities through interdepartmental review."

However, after strong opposition from Cheonan residents and local media, the government explained, "It is not yet at the stage to specify particular locations."

Nonetheless, residents of Cheonan remain uneasy. Some have posted opposition messages on the Blue House's public petition board against quarantine in Cheonan, garnering over 10,000 signatures. Preliminary candidates running for the Cheonan mayoral by-election, held alongside the April 15 general election, have also expressed opposition.

In response, a government official stated, "The facilities for accommodating residents are fundamentally not nuisance facilities," adding, "Rather than relying on individual self-quarantine measures, this is a government responsibility to have them stay in designated living facilities."

The government is expected to finalize and announce the decision soon, selecting a state-operated facility as far as possible from residential areas, considering factors such as distance from the airport and capacity.

At a joint briefing, Lee Tae-ho, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasized, "Although these individuals show no virus symptoms, while in temporary living facilities, contact with the outside will be strictly blocked to prevent any latent virus from spreading or transmitting to the local community. The Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and other related departments will closely cooperate to manage this thoroughly."