Mexican Ships Port Call Untimely
By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter
Two hundred crewmembers of the Mexican sail training ship Cuauhtemoc ― at sea since February ― might have felt offended by the tightened quarantine inspection at a port in Incheon last week.
They arrived in Korea amid the alert on Mexico-originated swine, but despite their seclusion they couldn't be exempted from special inspections.
The ship arrived in Incheon on May 4 as a Korean nun was found to be infected by the disease.
The Mexican embassy said in a press release, "The ship was inspected by Korean quarantine officials before docking at Incheon port, pier 1, in order to determine the crew's health status. Permission was given to dock since those on board showed no symptoms.?
After the crew got the all-clear, it was time for a party.
On the evening of their departure, crowds of dignitaries, including members of the diplomatic corps, were invited on board and given a tour along with food. The ship was also open to the public during its three-day stay in Korea.
The ship's voyage was to commemorate the 400th year of maritime communication between Mexico and Asia and to celebrate in advance the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence and the 100th anniversary of its revolution.
"The Mexican ship is the largest training vessel from the Mexican fleet and carries a message of peace and friendship among nations," the press release said.
Back at the country's embassy in Seoul, the atmosphere was quite apart from the party mode around the Cuauhtemoc.
The flu has kept the embassy staff busy updating developments surrounding the outbreak online on a daily basis.
The embassy Web site advised prospective visitors to Mexico of what to expect on arrival in the wake of the crisis.
"Because of the outbreak of influenza or swine flu, all travelers to Mexico City International Airport are asked to complete a questionnaire indicating if they have any of the symptoms associated with the illness: high fever, coughing, headaches, muscular or joint pain, eye irritation or a runny nose," it said.
The embassy commercial section has reported the cancellation of trips planned by Mexican business delegations.
According to officials, one Mexican delegation comprised of 30 business representatives cancelled their schedule due to the influenza.
One representative said an unnamed high-ranking economic official in the Mexican government also cancelled his trip to Korea.
Meanwhile, the commercial office is concerned about sales of Mexican pork in Korea.
It hasn't yet seen a drop in sales, but that development is highly likely, a market analyst said.
The Korean quarantine office announced on Thursday that it had found no trace of influenza in products coming from Mexico.
The Mexican Beef Association's participation in the Seoul Food and Hotel Fair this week appears to remain on course. But the reception from participants and prospective Korean buyers remains to be seen. The event is underway at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.