"Chinese travelers who 'evaded' quarantine deported, restricted from entering Korea for one year

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According to South Korea’s Central Emergency Response Headquarters (CERD) on January 24, a Chinese traveler who was arrested earlier this month for “evading” quarantine was deported and restricted from entering South Korea for one year.

A Chinese tourist (center) who escaped from the quarantine site in Sin Gwan, South Korea, was found by police on Jan. 5.

According to the report, the Chinese passenger involved in the case, A, arrived at Incheon International Airport from China on the 3rd of this month, and needed to be quarantined because of a positive test result for New Crown nucleic acid after entering the country, and “absconded” and went to downtown Seoul while waiting to check into the quarantine hotel. He was arrested in downtown Seoul two days later on the 5th.

According to the report, the Korean government said at the time that it would punish him severely according to the law and principles, but A was not punished by law and was only deported. The ministry said in this regard that A was investigated by the police for allegedly violating laws related to the prevention and management of infectious diseases and was later sent for prosecution, but it will take more than a month until the court hearing. Since A’s case did not meet the conditions for arrest, the Korean immigration authorities issued a “forced expulsion” without a separate trial.

South Korea’s epidemic prevention authorities have recently taken strong preventive measures against people entering the country from China. According to Yonhap News Agency, from January 2, all people entering from China must be tested for New Crown Nucleic Acid upon arrival at Incheon Airport, and those who test positive must be quarantined in a temporary isolation facility for seven days. The Korean diplomatic office in China suspended the issuance of short-term visas to Korea for a limited period of time. The Chinese Embassy in Korea issued a notice on January 10 regarding the suspension of issuing short-term visas to China for Korean citizens. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on the suspension of issuing short-term visas to China for Korean citizens, we once again call on the relevant countries to develop epidemic prevention measures in a scientific and appropriate manner from the facts, and should not take the opportunity to engage in political manipulation, should not have discriminatory practices, and should not affect normal people-to-people contacts and exchanges and cooperation between countries.