350 Wuhan Returnees Arrive at Asan and Jincheon Quarantine Facilities... No Resident Clashes (Comprehensive)

Overseas Koreans who returned from Wuhan, China by chartered flight are moving to a temporary accommodation set up at the Chungnam Asan Police Human Resources Development Institute on the 31st.
Photo by Kang Jin-hyung, Asan aymsdream@

[Asia Economy (Asan) = Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] A total of 350 Korean residents who had been staying in Wuhan City, China?the epicenter of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia)?and nearby areas arrived at the Police Human Resources Development Institute (HRDI) in Chosa-dong, Asan City, Chungnam Province, and the National Civil Service Human Resources Development Institute in Jincheon County, Chungbuk Province, respectively.

At around 8 a.m. on the 31st, among the 368 Korean residents who returned to Gimpo Airport aboard Korean Air flight KE9884, a Boeing 747 passenger plane, 18 police buses carrying 200 people entered the HRDI at around 12:50 p.m. It was about 1 hour and 50 minutes after departing from Gimpo Airport following quarantine and immigration procedures.

There were no protests or physical clashes from local residents during the bus entry process. The local residents calmly watched as the police buses carrying the Korean residents from Wuhan headed to the Police HRDI in Asan City, Chungnam Province. A village resident, Mr. Kim (52), said, "I have mixed feelings," adding, "I am anxious, but I hope the residents stay well for 14 days and then leave."

However, some residents still expressed strong dissatisfaction. Mr. Kim (65) said, "I still oppose housing the Wuhan residents at the Police HRDI," adding, "It seems they are allowing it under police pressure, but since they say it brings infectious diseases, I feel uneasy and think only Asan citizens are suffering."

About 60 to 70 residents stayed for about 10 minutes after all the buses arrived at the Police HRDI and then dispersed.

The previously strong opposition atmosphere, including physical clashes between nearby residents and police the day before, has somewhat eased. It was decided not to hold separate protest rallies against the residents, and the two tents installed at the intersection in front of the HRDI are scheduled to be removed soon. It appears that misunderstandings among village residents were resolved following visits and persuasion by Minister of the Interior and Safety Jin Young and Chungnam Governor Yang Seung-jo the previous day.

Another group of 150 Korean residents arrived at the National Civil Service Human Resources Development Institute in Jincheon County, Chungbuk Province, at around 1:22 p.m. on the 31st. They traveled from Gimpo Airport to Jincheon by boarding 16 police buses.

Residents of Jincheon, who had strongly opposed housing the residents until the day before, calmly watched the vehicles carrying the residents enter the HRDI. On that day, the residents demanded thorough quarantine measures from the government in the morning and accepted housing the residents from a magnanimous perspective, voluntarily removing protest tents and opposition banners.

The Korean residents to be housed at the Police HRDI in Asan, Chungnam, and the National Civil Service HRDI in Jincheon, Chungbuk, will stay without external contact for the next two weeks. Family visits will also be restricted. They will wear masks of N95 grade or higher inside the facilities and use single rooms. Only some, such as infants and young children, are allowed to share rooms with family members. Mutual interaction will be minimized, and restrooms and showers will be used individually. Medical staff will stay on each floor and check health status twice daily. The medical staff were dispatched from the National Medical Center and the Ministry of National Defense.

An immediate transfer system to national designated inpatient treatment beds is also in place if symptoms develop while staying at the temporary facilities. The costs incurred during the stay will be covered from the contingency fund (2 trillion won) allocated in this year’s budget, as previously announced by the government.