"JjangX Entry Ban" vs "Stop Xenophobia" Controversy Over Anti-Chinese Sentiment Amid 'Wuhan Pneumonia'

"Request to Ban Entry of Chinese Nationals" 청원 at Blue House Reaches 500,000

Amid the occurrence of the fourth confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection known as 'Wuhan pneumonia' in South Korea, visitors wearing masks are seen at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on the afternoon of the 27th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] As the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) that originated in Wuhan, China is spreading domestically, hateful remarks including derogatory expressions such as 'JjangX' and 'JjangXX' are pouring out on SNS and online communities.

Netizens are engaged in heated debates, with some demanding a ban on Chinese entry and the deportation of Chinese nationals residing in Korea, while others point out the need to stop slander and hatred.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on the 27th that the fourth confirmed case of Wuhan pneumonia in Korea has been identified. The confirmed patient is a 55-year-old Korean male who visited Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and returned on the 20th.

This patient visited a domestic medical institution on the 21st with symptoms such as a cold and received treatment. On the 26th, he was diagnosed with pneumonia at a public health center screening clinic and was classified as a subject under investigation with symptoms. On the same day, he was isolated in a nationally designated inpatient treatment bed (Bundang Seoul National University Hospital) and was confirmed positive the next day, the 27th.

A woman in her 30s who was classified as a suspected Wuhan pneumonia patient in Busan, a 15-month-old infant, and a woman in her 20s classified as suspected patients in Wonju, Gangwon Province, all tested negative in the first test.

Given the situation, fear and concern about Wuhan pneumonia are spreading domestically as well. On the 23rd, a petition titled "Request to Ban Entry of Chinese Nationals" was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board.

The petitioner stated, "Even North Korea is banning Chinese entry, so I request a temporary ban on entry during the Lunar New Year period. Wouldn't it be too late once they have already landed in our country? Proactive measures are necessary." The petition gained over 508,000 supporters by 7 a.m. on the 28th, five days after it was posted.

The fourth confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection, known as 'Wuhan pneumonia,' has occurred in South Korea. On the morning of the 27th, a notice restricting visits related to Wuhan pneumonia was posted at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

In addition, netizens expressed various reactions through comments on portal site articles and SNS, such as "JjangX are uncivilized," "Block entry of Joseonjok or Chinese," "Who comes first, the people or the Chinese? Please forcibly deport them," "Chinese are a nuisance wherever they go," and "Are they lacking learning ability? Why do they keep eating bats?"

On the other hand, some criticized, saying "We must stop xenophobia." Xenophobia is a compound word of 'xeno,' meaning foreigner or stranger, and 'phobia,' meaning fear or hatred, referring to the phenomenon of hatred toward foreigners.

One netizen pointed out on their Twitter, "How is criticizing China's response the same as disparaging all Chinese? Every country has troublemakers and uncontrollable people, so hateful remarks naturally arise."

Another netizen said, "Does hating China increase the chances of not getting infected? When told not to engage in unnecessary hatred, they say 'life is more important than political correctness (PC).'" They added, "Isn't it that they chose to attack others as a way to relieve their own fear and anxiety? Does spreading rumors and creating a fearful atmosphere make you feel like you've even disinfected your hands?"

Meanwhile, according to the National Health Commission of China (NHC) on the 27th, as of 8 p.m., the number of confirmed Wuhan pneumonia cases nationwide in 30 provinces was 2,840, with 81 deaths. The NHC reported that there are 461 severe cases and 5,794 suspected cases in China. Fifty-one patients have been discharged after recovery.

Wuhan pneumonia is also spreading overseas. The number of confirmed cases is 41, including 8 in Thailand, 5 in the United States, 5 in Australia, 4 each in Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia, and 3 in France.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.