Government: No Plan to Evacuate Citizens Aboard Japanese Cruise Ship Infected with COVID-19

The Majority of Koreans Reside in Japan

On the afternoon of the 11th, a large passenger ship, the 'Diamond Princess,' was docked at Yokohama Daikoku Pier, where domestic and international reporters gathered.

As a large cruise ship with a major outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) remains docked in Japan, the government announced on the 14th that there are currently no plans to evacuate the Koreans on board.

On the cruise ship "Diamond Princess," docked at Yokohama Port in Japan, a total of 247 out of approximately 3,600 passengers have been confirmed infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as of the 13th. There are 14 Koreans on board this cruise ship, including 9 passengers and 5 crew members.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters on the same day, "Among the 9 Korean passengers, 8 mainly live in Japan," adding, "Only one has ties to Korea." The official also said, "Among the 5 Korean crew members, 2 have ties to Korea."

Among the 9 Korean passengers, 6 are special permanent residents or permanent residents of Japan, and of the remaining 3, 2 are also understood to be living in Japan. Among the 5 Korean crew members, only 1 is a permanent resident, but 2 of the other 4 are known to be living in the United States.

The official explained, "(Therefore) there are no plans for evacuation," adding, "We are also referring to cases in other countries."

There are about 400 Americans on board with around 30 infected, and Australia and Canada each have about 200 passengers, but since those countries are leaving the situation to Japan without evacuation efforts, it is difficult for Korea, with far fewer passengers, to take the initiative.

The official added, "So far, no passengers have told the Korean Consulate General in Yokohama that they want to return to Korea."

Japan announced that starting from the 14th, elderly people aged 80 and above and those with underlying health conditions who test negative will be prioritized for disembarkation, but Koreans are understood not to fall into these categories.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among the 8 Korean passengers, 2 are in their 70s, 6 are in their 60s, and 1 is in their 30s.

The official explained, "There is a person in their 70s with an underlying condition, and we plan to confirm their personal opinion regarding disembarkation and coordinate with Japanese authorities to reflect the passenger's position."

The official added, "Fortunately, there are currently no suspected cases among the Koreans."

Meanwhile, regarding the possibility of dispatching a fourth charter flight to bring back about 100 Koreans presumed to remain in Wuhan, the official said, "We are not considering it at this time."