"Please Do Not Come" 4 Confirmed Cases in Jeju in One Day...Citizens Express 'Frustration'

More Tourists Visit Jeju in November Than During Chuseok
22 Confirmed Cases Last Month...Tourists and Residents Visiting Other Regions Spread Infection
Experts Advise "Avoid Travel and Outings When Possible, Strictly Follow Quarantine Rules"

On the morning of February 3rd, travelers arriving at Jeju International Airport are moving while wearing masks. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Jeju Island is suffering due to people who insist on traveling despite the spread of COVID-19. Concerns about COVID-19 infections as well as anxiety over the potential spread of the virus due to tourists are problematic. Previously, the island experienced cluster infections of COVID-19 through group training sessions and tourists. Despite this situation, some still insist on traveling to Jeju, prompting calls for stronger measures. Experts urge adherence to personal quarantine rules as the risk of COVID-19 infection increases with higher density of gatherings.

According to the island authorities on the 1st, a total of 22 COVID-19 cases were confirmed last month. This is the highest number of confirmed cases in Jeju within a single month.

Earlier, when Jeju entered a phase of COVID-19 containment in October, the number of domestic tourists visiting Jeju surged. In particular, COVID-19 began to spread again through group trips such as those by public officials and neighborhood leaders from Jinju, Gyeongnam Province.

Looking at the statistics of confirmed cases last month, out of the total 22 cases, 13 were related to visitors to Jeju including secondary local infections, 5 were residents of Jeju who had visited the metropolitan area, and 4 were overseas arrivals.

Among these, five residents were confirmed positive following a group trip by neighborhood leaders from Jinju between the 13th and 18th of last month.

Moreover, the spread within the island seems serious, with four new cases confirmed in a single day. The island announced that the 82nd confirmed case occurred around 1:36 PM, followed by the 83rd, 84th, and 85th cases around 8 PM.

The 83rd confirmed case, Mr. A, who was living in Jeju for a "one-month stay," developed suspected COVID-19 symptoms and was tested at Seogwipo Medical Center around 11:40 PM, resulting in a positive diagnosis.

The 84th confirmed case, Mr. B, and the 85th confirmed case, Mr. C, were identified as having contact with COVID-19 patients related to the visit of the neighborhood leaders' chairpersons from Jinju to Jeju.

A cluster infection of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by group tourists in Jeju Island has occurred, triggering an emergency in quarantine measures. Photo by Yonhap News

Given this situation, the island authorities are appealing for restraint in travel and tourism. On the 26th of last month, they attended an official video conference of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and formally requested the government, local governments, and public institutions to refrain from group training sessions and travel to Jeju. On the 27th, Governor Won Heeryong of Jeju sent official letters to 96 institutions nationwide urging them to avoid training and travel.

However, despite these appeals, the number of tourists visiting Jeju continues to rise steadily. According to the Jeju Tourism Association on the 25th of last month, the number of domestic tourists in Jeju in November was recorded at 888,138 as of the 22nd. This is 0.9% higher than the 880,426 recorded during the same period last year, with weekends seeing more tourists than during the recent Chuseok holiday (September 30 to October 4) and the Hangul Day holiday (October 10-11).

In particular, the more visitors Jeju receives, the more confirmed cases increase within the island. Due to difficulties in overseas travel caused by COVID-19, the months with the highest number of visitors (20 in August, 22 in November) also saw the highest number of confirmed cases in Jeju.

Some argue that strong measures are necessary to curb the spread. Recently, a petition titled "This is Jeju Island. Please restrict movement from other cities" was posted on the Blue House's public petition board.

The petitioner, who identified as a Jeju resident, stated, "No matter if social distancing is raised to level 2 or 3, those who want to come will come. Guidelines are not followed. Most people are losing their sense of urgency, and since it is a tourist destination, we cannot openly enforce restrictions, so the damage is considerable."

They continued, "Because of travelers, residents cannot move around comfortably. Jeju has become like a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any time. Please refrain from traveling during this period. (The government) should urge restraint in travel and interregional movement."

Experts point out that high-risk places where many people gather should be avoided and vigilance must not be relaxed.

Professor Kim Wooju of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital said, "The spread nationwide is currently severe. This is a time to strengthen quarantine measures, and relaxing vigilance is tantamount to spreading the infection. Especially among young people, many are asymptomatic, so transmission can be rapid. As always emphasized, it is necessary to avoid going out as much as possible and to maintain efforts such as hand washing, cough etiquette, and keeping the surrounding environment clean."