hankyoreh

The shelves of a convenience store in Wuhan, China, are nearly empty as the city is quarantined amid fear of the coronavirus spread. (photos provided by Lee Yoo-ri, a South Korean expat in Wuhan.)

The South Korean government will be sending a chartered plane to Wuhan, in China’s Hubei Province, to evacuate South Korean citizens in the city as early as Jan. 30. Wuhan is the center of the outbreak of an infectious disease caused by a new coronavirus.

The South Korean consulate in Wuhan posted an announcement on its website (http://overseas.mofa.go.kr/cn-wuhan-ko) on Jan. 27 asking residents to apply for seats on the chartered flight by 11:55 pm of that day. “The final list of passengers will be announced on Jan. 28 on our website and in the local Korean community’s group chatroom on WeChat. We’re trying [to arrange the flight] on Jan. 30 or 31, but that schedule might change depending on deliberations with China,” the consulate explained.

Wuhan’s Hankou railway station is sectioned off traffic.

According to Chinese government policy, Chinese nationals aren’t allowed to board the flight even if they have Korean family members. Anyone with suspicious symptoms, such as a fever above 37.5 degrees Celsius, vomiting, coughing, a sore throat, or breathing problems, is also banned from boarding the flight and must be quarantined by the Chinese government in Wuhan.

The South Korean government is expected to officially decide on chartering the flight during a meeting of related ministers, with Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun presiding, on Tuesday afternoon, but it’s already been deliberating the evacuation of South Korean citizens with the Chinese authorities. Furthermore, a meeting of related agencies, led by the head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, was held on Monday afternoon, during which officials discussed detailed preparations, including what to do with Korean residents of Wuhan after their evacuation.

“Since the Chinese government has effectively cordoned off Wuhan and the surrounding areas, South Koreans who are residing in the area are growing more concerned. They’ve asked the consulate in Wuhan for ways to quickly return home,” said an official from South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Given the possibility that the mass return of Koreans in Wuhan could cause the new coronavirus to spread in South Korea, the government is considering a number of disease prevention measures, including quarantining the evacuees. Given the incubation period of the disease, the individuals on the flight would be temporarily housed in a state-designated facility for 14 days after their return.

A road in Wuhan is blocked off from traffic.

“Government officials are apparently having people who want to board the chartered flight sign a form in which they agree to spend 14 days in quarantine,” said one Korean resident of Wuhan.

An estimated 500-600 South Koreans are currently residing in Wuhan as exchange students, small business owners, and employees of Korean companies with operations there. So far, none of these Koreans have tested positive for the new coronavirus or show any signs of being infected. In a survey previously administered by the consulate to Koreans in the city about being flown home, more than 500 expressed interest. Evacuees will be billed for the flight at a rate of 300,000 won (US$254.88) per adult and 225,000 won (US$191.18) per child. As of the morning of Jan. 28, 693 have applied for seats.

In a related development, South Korean companies are also taking emergency measures. SK Global Chemical, which operates a factory in the Wuhan region, has evacuated its ten employees there and has placed a ban on business trips to the city. POSCO, which also has a factory there, has suspended business trips there as well.

By Kim So-youn and Lee Wan, staff reporters

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]