Government Decides to Deploy '3rd Charter Flight' to Wuhan, China... Additional Repatriation Route Opens for Korean Residents and Chinese Families

Preliminary Demand Survey Conducted at Wuhan Consulate General
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Plan to Send Temporary Flights to Wuhan Soon"
Temporary Living Facilities Likely to Be Set Up in Third Area... "Announcement Soon"

On the 31st, a charter flight dispatched to transport Korean residents living in Wuhan, China, arrived at Gimpo International Airport in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The government has decided to deploy a third charter flight to evacuate overseas Koreans and their Chinese family members remaining in Wuhan, China. The government sent two charter flights on the 30th and 31st of last month, repatriating 701 overseas Koreans.

On the 9th, the government held an expanded Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting regarding the response to the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) and decided to deploy one additional temporary flight.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to send a temporary flight to Wuhan as soon as possible once consultations with Chinese authorities are completed. It is estimated that about 200 people, including overseas Koreans and their Chinese family members, remain on site.

The third charter flight will also carry Chinese family members of overseas Koreans. The Chinese government initially stated that Chinese family members could not board, but recently changed its position.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "The Chinese government recently informed us of a changed position that it may permit Chinese family members of Koreans, such as parents, spouses, and children, to board the temporary flight."

Previously, the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Wuhan conducted a preliminary demand survey for overseas Koreans and their Chinese family members who remained in Wuhan city and nearby areas and had given up boarding during the first and second temporary flights.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "Based on the preliminary demand survey results, we decided to deploy one temporary flight," adding, "The deployment of this third temporary flight is a measure demonstrating the government's commitment to faithfully fulfilling its fundamental duty to protect overseas Koreans."

Overseas Koreans and their Chinese family members returning on the third charter flight will be quarantined in temporary living facilities for 14 days. It is known that Chungbuk Jincheon and Chungnam Asan, where overseas Koreans who arrived on the first and second charter flights are staying, will be excluded.

A government official stated, "Thorough quarantine will be conducted in the same manner as the previous charter flight entry procedures, and to ensure that citizens can feel safe from any unknown risks of the novel coronavirus, our citizens and their families returning on this temporary flight will be protected in a safe place for 14 days."

The government plans to announce the temporary living facilities for the additional arrivals promptly. A government official said, "The protection site has not yet been decided, but locations distant from residents' living areas operated by the government are being considered," adding, "We will proceed with consultations with the relevant areas and announce the decision as soon as possible."