Charter Flights, Quarantine Facilities, Contacts... Confusion in Every Case "Government Fuels Chaos"

Mismatch Over Number of Confirmed Case Contacts
Conflicting Policies on Charter Flight Boarding

Confusion in Selecting Quarantine Sites
Causing Conflicts Among Local Residents

President Moon Jae-in salutes the national flag before the comprehensive review meeting on the response to the novel coronavirus infection held at the Government Seoul Office on the morning of the 30th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Ryu Jeong-min and Jo Hyun-ui] The government is causing confusion by sending mixed signals day after day in response to the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia). After local governments and other agencies made different announcements regarding the number of confirmed patients' contacts, the government also showed indecision over the plan to evacuate Korean residents from Wuhan, China, which has been criticized for increasing public anxiety.

◆"From asymptomatic only → symptomatic included → back to asymptomatic only"= On the 30th, confusion was exposed during the delay of the charter flight to bring Korean residents living in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, the origin of the novel coronavirus, from the morning to the afternoon. Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo stated the day before, "Symptomatic individuals will also be isolated separately on the charter flight."

However, this was different from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' policy. On the 28th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed applicants that those with suspected symptoms such as a fever above 37.5 degrees Celsius, vomiting, coughing, sore throat, or difficulty breathing would not be allowed to board. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' policy took into account the Chinese government's refusal to allow symptomatic individuals to leave the country. Eventually, the Ministry of Health and Welfare changed its stance to "only asymptomatic individuals will be evacuated first." The Ministry explained the reversal by saying, "We have prepared for the safe evacuation of all residents, but during consultations with Chinese authorities, we decided to respect local quarantine laws and procedures."

The specific evacuation plan also changed significantly within just one day. The government initially planned to deploy two charter flights that day but is now considering reducing it to one. Additionally, seats were planned to be arranged diagonally to eliminate the possibility of cross-infection. Minister Park said the day before, "We will arrange seats to prevent cross-infection," adding, "Even asymptomatic individuals could be in the incubation period, so they will be seated diagonally with the seats beside and in front and behind left empty."

On the 30th, as public anxiety grows over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia), residents of Asan clashed with police near the Chungnam Asan Police Human Resources Development Institute, which was designated as the quarantine facility for evacuees from Wuhan. / Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

◆Cheonan → Asan and Jincheon, escalating regional conflicts= Confusion over the location of temporary living facilities where the evacuees would stay for two weeks after returning home has also been criticized for escalating conflicts between regions. The government initially planned on the 28th to quarantine about 700 evacuees at the Korea Post Officials Training Institute and the National Youth Training Center located in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do. However, after local residents opposed the plan, the location was changed within a day to facilities in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, and Jincheon, Chungcheongbuk-do. Strong opposition has arisen in these areas, with residents saying, "Do you think we are easy targets?"

Confusion also increased over the number of contacts of the fourth confirmed domestic patient. On the 28th, Pyeongtaek City, where the patient resides, announced that the patient had contacted 96 people. However, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) corrected the number to 172 just three hours later. This resulted in nearly a twofold difference between the announcements of domestic health authorities and local governments. In particular, when considering only close contacts, the difference between Pyeongtaek City (32 people) and KCDC (95 people) announcements exceeds threefold. On the 28th, Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon announced that they were considering postponing the start of elementary, middle, and high schools, but just half a day later, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hae issued conflicting statements saying, "There will be no postponement of school openings."

Regarding the confusion within the government, Shim Jae-chul, floor leader of the Liberty Korea Party, criticized, "Fear is rising due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, but the government repeatedly makes missteps and sends mixed signals in quarantine and response processes." Park Hye-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters at the KCDC, said, "I find it hard to agree with the claim that there is no control tower for the novel coronavirus," adding, "I believe that national institutions are currently working within their respective roles to block infections and prevent the spread of the disease."

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