"Korean Students Vacate Rooms" ... Dormitory Crisis Amid Quarantine of Chinese International Students

Temporary Evacuation Until Mid-Next Month When Measures End
Sudden Notice Before Semester Start Causes Confusion
Hanyang, Yonsei, Chung-Ang University Strongly Oppose and Face Backlash

On the 4th, students wearing masks are passing in front of a banner with guidelines for preventing the novel coronavirus infection at Yonsei University in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporters Jo In-kyung and Yoo Byung-don] As universities decide to quarantine Chinese international students in dormitories, Korean students currently residing in the dorms are facing situations where they must 'vacate their rooms.' These students are wandering around areas near the universities looking for places to stay until the quarantine measures end in mid-next month. Another issue is whether the universities have the capacity to accommodate the influx of Chinese international students even after asking regular students to leave.

According to reports from university areas on the 18th, universities with a large number of Chinese international students are causing controversy by requesting dormitory residents to 'temporarily vacate' their rooms. This applies to students who stayed in the dorms during the winter break or those who moved in early before the semester started. They are strongly protesting the sudden eviction notices, saying, "Where are we supposed to go all of a sudden?"

University student Lee said, "Isn't it absurd to be told to leave suddenly without any consideration for the residents?" He added, "There are many students in similar situations nearby, so it's difficult to find a suitable room." Lee attends Ajou University, which announced on the dormitory website on the 10th that all residents must move out by the 16th. Another university student Lee said, "I'm looking for a goshiwon to stay for about 2 to 3 weeks, but it's not easy to find an available room," expressing frustration, "Usually, contracts are completed by early February, and many dormitory students like me are competing for rooms, which makes it even harder."

Hanyang University also informed existing residents on the 10th that four dormitories would be closed. This is because they need a place to quarantine students returning from China from the 25th of this month until the 12th of next month. The school said it would refund the dormitory fees already paid by students, but protests surged.

Yonsei University also requested existing residents to vacate their rooms from the 19th until the 14th of next month for the same reason. However, as student opposition continued, the Yonsei dormitory office announced, "In unavoidable cases, staying will be permitted, so please submit relevant documentation and petitions." Earlier, Chung-Ang University announced a complete dormitory evacuation but reversed the decision entirely after a day due to overwhelming student dissatisfaction, causing a farcical situation.

Universities plan to apply the principle of single occupancy per room for two weeks for Chinese international students entering the dormitories, following government guidelines. Faculty and staff are directly involved in disinfecting and sanitizing dormitories, providing packed meals, and conducting fever checks, but the schools are struggling as they must handle both manpower and costs at present. In some universities, the number of Chinese international students exceeds the dormitory capacity.

An official from a private university said, "It seems that many international students will arrive all at once starting next week, and we are at a loss as to how to manage so many students."