[Report] Minister Jin-young's Visit to Asan Met with 'Egg Salvo'... Intensified Protests Against Wuhan Returnees

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] On the 30th, Jin Young, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, was pelted with eggs by local residents during his visit to Asan, Chungnam, where Korean residents from Wuhan, China, will be housed. Local residents opposing the reception of Korean residents repatriated from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia), have been holding protests since the morning, expressing strong opposition.

At around 3:35 p.m. that day, Minister Jin arrived at the intersection in front of the Police Human Resources Development Institute in Chosa-dong, Asan City, Chungnam, together with Chungnam Governor Yang Seung-jo and Asan Mayor Oh Se-hyun. This place is where about 70 Asan residents set up tents from the morning and held a rally opposing the reception of Wuhan residents. Residents raised their voices immediately after Minister Jin's party arrived, shouting, "Go away Yang Seung-jo," "Minister, detain them in your neighborhood," and "Cheonan is not allowed, but Asan is?"

Governor Yang said, "I clearly state that the reception site was decided to be Cheonan and has not been changed to Asan," explaining, "Cheonan and other locations were considered, but the Police Human Resources Development Institute was chosen as the first place in the comprehensive evaluation of six regions."

Minister Jin also said, "I had no choice but to select the Police Human Resources Development Institute, which has the most rooms," adding, "We will prepare thorough measures to operate the facility so that our residents do not worry."

However, the agitated residents began throwing eggs, and although the police protected Minister Jin's party with umbrellas, Governor Yang was hit on the back of his hand by an egg, which dripped onto his pants.

Later, Minister Jin tried to move to the village hall to talk with residents, but during the police's efforts to block residents trying to enter the village hall, stones were thrown, breaking a window.

After about 30 minutes of conversation with representatives of the residents, Minister Jin left the village around 4:35 p.m.

Earlier that morning, Asan residents had been holding a rally at an intersection about 500 meters from the Police Human Resources Development Institute to block the reception of Wuhan residents in Asan. About 70 residents held placards reading "Strongly oppose the decision to house Chinese residents in Asan," and "House Wuhan residents at the Blue House," shouting slogans such as "Strongly oppose housing pneumonia patients," and "What is Wuhan pneumonia?"

Nearby, two tents were set up, showing signs of preparing for a long-term protest. The police deployed about 800 personnel from 12 companies to prepare for any emergencies.

Kim Jong-nye (63), who attended the rally, said, "It is absurd to house people with a high possibility of spreading Wuhan pneumonia at the Police Human Resources Development Institute when there are no vaccines or treatments," adding, "There are many apartments and elderly residents nearby, so I am afraid that infectious diseases will spread."

Residents are concerned that if Wuhan residents are housed at the Police Human Resources Development Institute, the novel coronavirus will spread throughout Asan. As of the end of last year, 196 households with 456 residents lived in Chosa 2-dong near the Police Human Resources Development Institute, and about 500 meters away in a straight line, there is an apartment complex with nine buildings housing 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.