'Presidential Aircraft' to Transport Koreans from Japanese Cruise Ship Departs at Noon... Arrives at Gimpo on the Morning of the 19th

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] A presidential aircraft (Air Force No. 3), designated to transport Koreans and their spouses aboard the cruise ship 'Diamond Princess,' which is docked in Japan and has multiple confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), departed from Seoul Airport at noon on the 18th.

The presidential aircraft, which departed from Seoul Airport, is scheduled to arrive at Haneda Airport in Japan at 4 p.m. on the same day. Medical staff, quarantine officers, and a support team from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accompanied the flight.

The presidential aircraft will carry four Koreans and one Japanese spouse aboard the cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan, and is expected to arrive at Gimpo Airport at 8 a.m. on the 19th.

Kim Kang-lip, Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, stated, "The presidential aircraft departed Seoul Airport this afternoon and is scheduled to arrive at Gimpo Airport tomorrow morning. Among the 14 Koreans aboard the cruise ship, up to five people, including four who wished to return and one Japanese spouse, will be transported." He added, "This transfer was made as a priority measure to protect the lives and health of our citizens following the outbreak of many COVID-19 cases on the Diamond Princess, which has been docked at Yokohama Port since the 3rd."

The Koreans and their spouses returning this time will be quarantined for 14 days at the isolation observation facility of the Incheon Airport Quarantine Station. Deputy Head Kim explained, "To block the possibility of COVID-19 inflow, thorough quarantine will be conducted as before, and the returning Koreans and their families will stay in temporary living facilities for 14 days." He also stated, "For those Koreans remaining on the cruise ship, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will maintain close contact and provide necessary consular assistance."

The presidential aircraft used for transport is a 19-seat plane. The government explained that it selected the transport aircraft considering the small number of returnees and economic efficiency. Initially, the government was reluctant to transport Koreans aboard the cruise ship domestically, citing that only three had domestic ties. However, as confirmed cases on the cruise ship increased to 454 and other countries such as the United States dispatched charter flights to bring their nationals home, the government decided to proceed with the transfer last weekend.