Ministry of Justice Repatriates 8 Foreigners Who Refused '2-Week Self-Quarantine' to Their Home Countries

On the 1st, when the mandatory 2-week self-quarantine for all incoming travelers from abroad began, arrivals at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport were registering their names to board the special airport buses equipped with full quarantine measures for overseas arrivals. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The Ministry of Justice announced on the 2nd that it denied entry and sent back to their home countries eight foreigners who entered South Korea on the 1st and refused to undergo the mandatory two-week self-quarantine.

The government has recently implemented a measure requiring all individuals entering from overseas to undergo a two-week self-quarantine starting from the previous day to prevent the overseas inflow of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

The foreigners who were repatriated had entered South Korea on the 1st, when this measure was first enforced, from six countries including Kazakhstan, and expressed their intention not to comply with self-quarantine during the airport quarantine process. In response, the authorities denied their entry and immediately sent them back, the Ministry of Justice explained.

The Ministry of Justice stated, "Although they were informed in advance at the boarding stage that they were subject to quarantine, they refused to comply and did not follow government measures, leading the quarantine office to notify that their entry was inappropriate."

Furthermore, the Ministry of Justice plans to closely cooperate with quarantine authorities to take measures such as denying entry, forced deportation, and entry bans against foreigners who refuse or violate self-quarantine.