Forced Quarantine of Korean Passengers by Jeju Air in Weihai, China

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] The Shandong Provincial Government in China has enforced mandatory quarantine measures on Korean passengers arriving via Jeju Air through Weihai Airport. This is the first time China has imposed mandatory quarantine on all arrivals from Korea via air travel.

According to diplomatic sources in Beijing on the 25th, all 167 Jeju Air passengers who departed from Korea and arrived at Weihai City Airport in Shandong Province at 10:50 AM are undergoing mandatory quarantine and inspection procedures. Among the 167 passengers, 19 are Korean, 144 are Chinese, and 4 are of other nationalities. Although the exact quarantine period for Koreans has not been specified, China generally enforces a 14-day quarantine period related to COVID-19.

The diplomatic source explained, "Around 1:30 PM, the passengers were moved to a designated hotel," adding, "Quarantine will be lifted after observation." Since the previous day, rumors have spread among the Korean community in Weihai that arrivals from Korea to Weihai could face 5 to 7 days of mandatory quarantine.

The reason Weihai City has imposed mandatory quarantine on all passengers arriving from Korea is largely due to the fact that there have been no new COVID-19 cases recently in the area, bringing the situation close to resolution.

The diplomatic source stated, "There have been no additional confirmed cases in Weihai for 12 days," and added, "If no new cases occur for 14 days, the area will be declared a clean zone, allowing normal economic activities to resume. This decision was made by the city itself for the sake of the local economy, and the city government has pledged to do its best to minimize inconvenience to passengers." Furthermore, the source added, "Our government plans to request a simplification of quarantine procedures after 2 to 3 days of observation to reduce the quarantine period."