[Report] Asan Residents Lie Down on the Road... Intensified Protest Against 'Wuhan Pneumonia'

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Opposition among residents of Asan, Chungnam, where repatriated Koreans from Wuhan, China?the epicenter of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia)?are to stay, is intensifying. The repatriation of Koreans, originally scheduled to arrive on the 30th in the afternoon via a chartered flight, was delayed, and residents who gathered from the morning have been engaging in sporadic physical clashes with police trying to block them.

At around 2:30 p.m. that day, about ten local residents lay down on a four-lane road in front of the Police Human Resources Development Institute in Chosa-dong, Asan City, Chungnam, demanding opposition to the accommodation of Wuhan returnees. When the police attempted forced dispersal, the road occupation was called off within about 20 minutes. Earlier, around 1 p.m., one resident blocked one of the four lanes leading to the Police Human Resources Development Institute with a tractor, and the police withdrew after about 10 minutes.

Asan residents have been holding rallies since early morning at an intersection about 500 meters from the Police Human Resources Development Institute to prevent the accommodation of Wuhan returnees in Asan. About 70 residents held placards reading "Strongly oppose the decision to accommodate Chinese Koreans in Asan City," "Accommodate Wuhan area returnees at the Blue House," and shouted slogans such as "Strongly oppose the accommodation of pneumonia patients", "What do you mean by Wuhan pneumonia?".

Nearby, two tents were set up, showing preparations for a prolonged protest. The police deployed about 800 personnel from 12 companies to prepare for any eventuality.

Kim Jong-nye (63), who attended the rally, said, "There is no vaccine or treatment method, so accommodating people with a high possibility of spreading Wuhan pneumonia at the Police Human Resources Development Institute is absurd," adding, "There are many apartments and elderly residents nearby, so I am afraid the infectious disease will spread."

Residents are concerned that if Wuhan returnees are accommodated at the Police Human Resources Development Institute, the novel coronavirus will spread throughout Asan. As of the end of last year, Chosa 2-dong near the Police Human Resources Development Institute had 196 households and 456 residents. About 500 meters away in a straight line, a nine-building apartment complex houses 480 households. Additionally, Onyang Elementary School is located about 1.5 km away in a straight line.

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