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Chinese travelers fill out medical questionnaires upon arriving at Incheon International Airport on Jan. 28. (Baek So-ah, staff photographer)

With Korean nationals stranded in Wuhan, the Chinese city in Hubei Province at the center of the new coronavirus outbreak, the Korean government has decided to send four chartered flights from Jan. 30 to 31 to bring them home. Approximately 700 Korean citizens in Wuhan and neighboring regions have applied to take these flights. Upon returning to Korea, they will be quarantined for 14 days in temporary protective facilities set up by the government. This is the first time the Korean government has ever flown overseas Koreans home on chartered planes and enacted the mass quarantine of hundreds of individuals in response to a pandemic.

Lee Tae-ho, the second Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated in a joint government briefing on Jan. 28, “We have looked into the number of Korean nationals living in Wuhan and surrounding regions and determined that there are approximately 700 such individuals. We have decided to send chartered flights to Wuhan on Jan. 30 and 31 and are currently engaged in discussions with the Chinese government.”

“This decision was made in consideration of several factors, including the fact that these citizens are unable to return home because the Chinese government has shut down all flights and public transport in Wuhan and neighboring regions, and it is difficult for them to receive appropriate medical treatment as local medical institutions are fully saturated,” Lee added.

It appears that almost all Korean citizens living in Wuhan, including overseas students, small business owners and expats, have applied for seats on take the chartered flights. Anyone exhibiting symptoms such as a fever of 37.5 degrees Celsius or higher, vomiting, coughing, sore throat, or respiratory problems, will not be allowed to board. Guidelines from the Chinese government also prohibit Chinese nationals from taking the flights, even if they are family members of Korean citizens.

Those who do not exhibit any symptoms after returning to Korea will be quarantined in temporary lodging facilities arranged by the Korean government for 14 days, the maximum incubation period of the disease. “They are not patients,” said a high ranking government official. “But they will have to accept some level of sacrifice in order for the government to take proactive measures to prevent an epidemic.” If symptoms are detected, afflicted individuals will be transferred to medical facilities equipped with negative-pressure isolation wards.

Regarding the temporary facilities that will house the returning Korean nationals, a government official stated, “This could be a cause of concern for ordinary citizens, so we will make our decision with regard to the fact that such facilities must be isolated from local residents. We will also consider the regular users of such facilities.”

“We believe that educational facilities for civil servants are the most suitable. Another factor we are taking into consideration is that the facilities must not be too far from the airport,” the official added. As for the mention of specific regions such as Cheonan, the official said, “No decision has been made yet.”

In the spirit of strengthening amicable relations between Korea and China through a united response in the face of a health crisis, the Korean government will also use the chartered flights to deliver medical supplies to China, including two million face masks and 100,000 sets of anti-contamination suits and protective goggles.

By Kim So-youn and Park Min-hee, staff reporters

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