'Ban on Entry of Chinese Nationals' National Petition Gains 760,000 Supporters

A Blue House petition advocating for a ban on Chinese nationals entering the country has gained the support of over 760,000 people. Photo by Blue House website capture

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kang Juhee] As the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) rapidly increased, a Blue House petition demanding a ban on Chinese entry gained the support of over 760,000 people.

The petition received 761,833 endorsements and closed on the 22nd. Posted on the 23rd of last month, this petition ranked third in the number of endorsements, following last year's petition to disband the Liberty Korea Party (1,831,900 people) and the 2018 petition demanding strict punishment for the Gangseo-gu PC bang murder case (1,192,049 people).

The petitioner emphasized, "The coronavirus originating from China is spreading," and added, "Even North Korea has banned Chinese entry, so I request a temporary ban on (Chinese) entry during the Lunar New Year holiday."

They continued, "Wouldn't it be too late after it has already landed in our country?" and stressed, "Proactive measures are necessary."

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 6 p.m. on the 23rd, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country increased by 46, totaling 602.