Violation of Infectious Disease Prevention Act
Imprisonment up to 1 year or fine up to 10 million KRW
[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] A man in his 40s from China, identified as Mr. A, who tested positive for COVID-19 at the airport but refused quarantine and fled, was apprehended by the police. With the government announcing a strict punishment policy for Mr. A, attention is focused on the outcome of his punishment.
Mr. A was arrested by the police on the afternoon of the 5th at around 12:55 PM while hiding in a hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Earlier, on the 3rd, Mr. A arrived at Incheon Airport Terminal 1 on a passenger flight from China and tested positive for COVID-19.
A man in his 40s from China, identified as Mr. A, who refused hotel quarantine and fled after testing positive for COVID-19, was apprehended in Seoul on the 5th and is being escorted to a hotel in Jung-gu, Incheon. [Image source=Yonhap News]
According to the quarantine policy implemented from the 2nd for arrivals from China, Mr. A was scheduled to be quarantined for 7 days at a hotel near the airport. However, Mr. A got off the bus in front of the hotel and fled. It is reported that Mr. A moved about 300 meters from the hotel to a large supermarket and then took a taxi to Seoul.
Chinese Mr. A Charged with Violation of Infectious Disease Prevention Act
In 2020, a Japanese person who violated self-quarantine received a suspended sentence
The government has announced a strict punishment policy for Mr. A. He is charged with violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act. According to Article 79-3 of the Act, violating quarantine measures can result in imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million KRW. The quarantine authorities also stated that Mr. A may be subject to forced deportation and a ban on re-entry into the country for a certain period.
There have been previous cases where foreigners were punished for violating quarantine measures in Korea. A man in his 20s from Japan was arrested and prosecuted in 2020 for repeatedly leaving his residence without permission during COVID-19 self-quarantine, and the court sentenced him to six months in prison with a two-year probation.
However, it is expected that Mr. A, currently a confirmed COVID-19 patient, will undergo additional investigation after completing the one-week quarantine period. The police stated that they plan to transfer the case to the prosecution in consultation with quarantine authorities after Mr. A’s quarantine ends.
Kim Seong-ho, the 2nd Chief Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) for COVID-19 and Director of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, said at the CDSCH meeting on the 6th, "Mr. A, who fled after entering the country and was caught the day before, will be strictly punished according to law and principles," adding, "The government will continue to closely monitor domestic and international quarantine situations to ensure that quarantine measures for overseas arrivals are implemented without gaps."
Meanwhile, criticism arose in China over Mr. A’s refusal to quarantine and flight. On Weibo, China’s representative social networking service (SNS), netizens responded with comments such as
"Shameful" and "A disgrace to the country."
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