Foreign residents call mandatory COVID-19 testing 'discrimination'

Foreign workers line up to take coronavirus tests in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday, as local authorities ordered all foreign workers there to undergo testing by March 22. Yonhap

By Bahk Eun-ji

Local governments' administrative orders for all foreign workers in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to undergo COVID-19 testing have elicited protests among foreign residents, who criticize the program as discriminatory and unnecessary.

On Tuesday, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said it would issue an order for all foreign workers and their employers to undergo coronavirus testing by March 31, following a similar measure taken by the surrounding Gyeonggi Province last week.

Many foreign residents said the labeling of all of them as a "high-risk group" for contracting and spreading the virus was racist and discriminatory, and also complained about unclear guidelines of who needs testing as well as the insufficient preparation for carrying out tests on everyone. There are 242,623 registered foreign workers in the city as of last December, but city officials estimate the total number may be as high as 390,000.

"I would like to know what the government's actual plan is, because right now, we don't even have a clear idea of who they are actually counting as workers, how this information is being applied, or any other details," said Jennifer Flinn, a professor at Kyung Hee University in Seoul.

"The city government is proceeding on no evidence whatsoever that working foreigners are in any way at greater risk of contracting or spreading the virus."

Flinn said she received an ambiguous text message from her district office on Monday advising her to be tested, so she called the 120 Dasan Call Center to clarify if it was an exposure notification, but they said it was just a general notice and nonbinding suggestion.

But the suggestion was superseded by an administrative order only a day later.

Flinn stated, "Nothing about the order makes any sense at all, because there's no established risk factor that makes all foreigners at higher risk than their Korean co-workers. It's a poorly thought-out plan that just victimizes and stigmatizes vulnerable populations."

Flinn also pointed out that there are many other well-known high-risk workplaces and venues such as singing rooms and churches, which are not currently under any special restrictions, nor are their workers under any kind of testing orders.

"There are no general orders for employees of singing rooms or workers and volunteers at churches. There is even less logic behind testing all working foreigners in Seoul or in any province," she said.

Paul Matthews, a freelancer living in Seoul, said he got a test at his local health center because he was confused about what was going on and didn't want to break the law.

"I just want to do my duty as an immigrant, but it does seem ridiculous to suddenly demand every foreigner in Seoul get tested," Matthews said.

"They tested all members of one church, but they didn't test all Christians. I just wish they would explain their decision clearly so that foreign residents can understand, otherwise it's easy for us to assume it is racist and irrational. I hope that is not the intention."

A sample alien registration card is displayed at a temporary screening center in Guro District, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Another foreign resident of Seoul, a teacher at an international school who wished to be identified only as Lisa, also agreed that there was no clear scientific rational behind the city government's decision.

"We know where most clusters are ― churches and factories ― but the government wants to focus on foreigners despite most cases being among Koreans. This only fosters xenophobia and makes Korea look bad globally," she said.

She said the greatest failing has been the slow rollout of vaccines.

"The government has said foreigners will receive vaccines on the same schedule as Koreans. However if the government is going to stigmatize foreigners as being more likely to spread the virus ― though that's a false idea ― perhaps we should receive vaccines early rather than be sent for testing."

A 38-year-old office worker surnamed Kim, living in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, whose husband is from Italy, said she contacted the provincial government's call center to confirm if her husband also had to get tested, but later she was told he didn't have to because he possessed two passports ― Korean and Italian.

"Does this mean that people with passports from other countries are more likely to be infected with the coronavirus, and those with Korean passports are less likely to be infected? It doesn't make sense at all," Kim said.

"It is a discriminatory and xenophobic plan that causes hatred against foreigners, I think."

Kim said if the problem was foreign workers staying at factory dormitories, their Korean co-workers at the factories should also get tested, but the Korean employees were not subject to the order.

Meanwhile, a small business owner who is a French national said she doesn't want to make a lot of complaints over what the government is doing as it is a special situation.

"I am willing to get testing, obey the law as an immigrant. But the problem is there are no detailed instructions for this plan yet, so I think I'm going to get the test in two or three days once I get clearer information," she said.