"Anyone Can Now Report 'Self-Quarantine Violations'... Nationwide Expansion of Random Inspections"

COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Regular Briefing
Approximately 37,000 People Under Self-Quarantine... Increased Management Burden
Triple Surveillance Network by Disaster Headquarters and Local Governments Operating 24 Hours

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 specially equipped airport buses for overseas arrivals with complete quarantine measures. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] As the number of people under self-quarantine after entering the country from overseas or coming into contact with COVID-19 patients has recently increased, the government has decided to strengthen measures to manage those who violate self-quarantine. This is to prevent violations such as secretly leaving the quarantine location while leaving their smartphones behind. The government has also tightened the public-private surveillance network by widely promoting channels for reporting self-quarantine violators.

According to the COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the 5th, a total of 137 violators, including those who have left their self-quarantine locations without permission, have been recorded so far. The government estimates an average of 6.4 violators per day. Currently, there are 37,248 people subject to self-quarantine (as of the previous day), of whom about 8,000 are domestic individuals subject to quarantine due to contact with patients, and the remaining 30,000 are domestic and foreign nationals who entered from overseas. Especially since this month, self-quarantine has been mandated for all arrivals worldwide, increasing the management burden at both central and local government levels.

To strengthen self-quarantine monitoring, a multi-surveillance system for unauthorized departures will be established and operated through an integrated Geographic Information System (GIS) dashboard. Overseas entrants are required to install a self-quarantine safety protection application on their smartphones, and the GIS dashboard will be used to monitor any departures in real time. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, metropolitan governments such as cities and provinces, and basic local governments at the city, county, and district levels will form dedicated teams to conduct triple-layered 24-hour monitoring. If a departure is suspected, a dedicated official will immediately contact the individual to check their location and, together with the police, verify the situation on-site.

Seocho-gu, Seoul announced on the 2nd that it will conduct surprise inspections together with the police targeting individuals returning from abroad who are under self-quarantine, in order to block the new spread route of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) through overseas inflow.

General Public Can Report Unauthorized Departures via Safe Report and Local Government Reporting Centers
Unannounced Inspections by Local Governments and Police Expanded Nationwide... Twice Weekly Checks

The government will operate a resident reporting system for violators through the Safe Report platform and local government reporting centers. Safe Report is an online bulletin board operated to prepare for various disaster situations, accessible to anyone after identity verification. Although there is no reward system like the existing paparazzi system, the ability for the general public to report self-quarantine violators is expected to enhance surveillance effectiveness.

Additionally, unannounced inspections conducted by some local governments and police stations will be expanded nationwide and conducted twice a week. The focus will be on those with a history of leaving quarantine on the self-quarantine app or those who have not installed the app, with checks conducted without prior notice. Leaving the quarantine location while leaving the smartphone behind is considered a deliberate violation exploiting the app’s location-based functionality, and will be dealt with strictly. In Gunsan, Jeonbuk Province, three overseas entrants were caught by police and health centers for leaving quarantine without carrying their smartphones.

If unauthorized departure is confirmed, the individual will be excluded from receiving emergency disaster relief funds or living support payments, and strict measures such as claiming compensation for quarantine-related losses will be enforced. Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Central Accident Response Headquarters’ quarantine team, stated at the briefing, "Those who leave without justifiable reasons will be immediately reported, and claims for damages related to quarantine costs and losses will be pursued simultaneously. From today, penalties for violating self-quarantine have been strengthened, and violators may face up to one year imprisonment or fines up to 10 million won."

On the afternoon of the 31st, Park Seong-su, the mayor of Songpa District Office in Seoul, is reporting the management status of COVID-19 self-quarantined individuals to Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun. Photo by Kang Jin-hyeong aymsdream@