Within 2 Weeks, Crew Changes Not Allowed for Ships Boarding or Disembarking in High-Risk Countries (Update)

A quarantine worker is disinfecting the Russian vessel Arkadiya docked at Gamcheon Port in Busan.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] The government has decided to strengthen quarantine management at ports as cases of foreign seafarers testing positive for COVID-19 have increased.

At a regular briefing on the 16th, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) announced, "For vessels that have called at countries with a high risk of COVID-19 and have had crew members embark or disembark within the last 14 days, crew changes will be prohibited."

Since July, 'boarding quarantine' has been conducted on all vessels departing from countries with a high COVID-19 risk, and now measures have been taken to prohibit crew changes depending on the risk level.

Additionally, the government plans to restrict the landing permission of non-essential foreign seafarers as much as possible and strengthen monitoring through a self-diagnosis application during their landing period.

Despite negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test confirmations, many positive cases have been reported from local testing institutions. Measures have been prepared to enhance the reliability of these local testing institutions, including canceling their designation after on-site inspections.

Son Young-rae, head of the Strategic Planning Division at the Central Accident Response Headquarters, emphasized, "If inappropriate documents such as forged or altered PCR negative certificates are submitted, entry will be prohibited for the vessel in question according to the 'Guidelines on Unauthorized Departure of Foreign Seafarers and Entry Permission to Trade Ports for Such Vessels.'"