Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Eight foreigners denied entry for refusing to follow self-isolation rule
Police officers in protective clothing wait for Koreans repatriated from Italy at Incheon International, April 1. AFP
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
Eight foreigners have been denied entry to Korea for refusing to comply with the country's mandatory self-isolation rule.
The Ministry of Justice said Thursday that it returned eight foreigners to their countries after they refused to follow its coronavirus containment measure.
The rule, which came into force April 1, requires all people arriving in Korea from overseas to quarantine themselves at their residences or government-designated facilities for 14 days.
According to the ministry, the foreigners from six countries, including Kazakhstan, refused to follow the rule when they arrived at Incheon International Airport even after they were notified of it before leaving for Korea.
Under the measure, those who do not have a place to stay here have to pay around 100,000 won ($82) for using the government-designated facilities. They also must install a mobile app that allows authorities to monitor their locations in real time.
According to government data, 35 percent of the country's newly confirmed COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks are from overseas, as an average of fewer than 10,000 people have arrived here a day since March 22.
As of Thursday afternoon, the virus has infected 9,976 people and killed 169 in Korea.