"Masked Them, But..." Schools Reopening Face 'Novel Coronavirus' Emergency (Comprehensive)

Parents Anxious on the Way to School... Thermometers and Hand Sanitizers Ready
Dual-Income Couples Had Hoped for School Closures but Have No Place to Send Children
484 Kindergartens, Elementary, Middle, and High Schools Nationwide Postpone or Suspend Opening
Universities Form TF to Manage International Students

On the 3rd, amid growing concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection, students at Bongeun Elementary School in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, are attending school wearing masks. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy reporters Jo In-kyung and Kim Bong-gi] The first day of school. Elementary school students enter the school gates in small groups. At 7:40 a.m. on the 3rd at Bon-eun Elementary School in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, almost all the children were wearing 'masks.' Principal Han Sang-yoon and teachers waited for the children at the main gate. Instead of the long-awaited hugs or smiles and gentle pats, what greeted the children first were thermometers and hand sanitizers. Sixth grader Jeong Seung-hwan said, "There are plenty of masks at home, but I didn't bring one," as he put on the mask handed by the teacher and entered the classroom.

Amid growing concerns about the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia), the scene on the first day of school showed and sounded more worry than joy. Sixth grader Choi Jeong-yoon said, "My parents told me to always wear a mask and not to take it off in crowded places," adding, "It's stuffy, but I plan not to take it off," speaking maturely. Kim Su-jeong (49, female), a member of the Green Mothers' Association who helps students get to school, said, "I'm very worried because of the novel coronavirus," and added, "I told my second-grade son not to go to crowded places, but he can't skip school, so I repeatedly told him never to take off his mask."

Kim Oe-sun (65, female), who has a second-grade granddaughter, said, "It was recently revealed late that a friend who had been to China attended the kindergarten my second granddaughter goes to, causing a commotion with vehicle disinfection and so on," expressing concern about whether hygiene management at school would be properly carried out.

While there is a desire for the school to officially postpone the start of school or close temporarily, even that faces practical concerns. For dual-income couples, a major problem is that if the start of school is postponed, there is no particular place to send their children. Parent Yoo Chung-yeol (43) said, "Stopping entrants from China should come first." Lee (35), who has a third-grade daughter, also said, "I was worried about sending my child to school after the start, but I just hope the school takes good responsibility for hygiene issues."

On the same day, Seoul Superintendent of Education Cho Hee-yeon, who conducted an on-site inspection at Bon-eun Elementary School, focused on reassuring parents. He said, "The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and related departments are doing their best in their respective positions, and the education office is consulting frequently," adding, "The Ministry of Education is considering flexible operation measures regarding school closure."

On the 3rd, amid growing concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection, Principal Hansang Yoon of Bongeun Elementary School in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, is checking the temperature of students arriving at school. Photo by Mun Honam munonam@

As of that day, including four people in facility quarantine by health authorities, a total of 21 students and staff members nationwide from kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools were under self-quarantine. In Seoul, one kindergarten, three elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools?a total of nine institutions?decided to close temporarily. In Gyeonggi provinces such as Suwon, Bucheon, and Goyang, where confirmed patients had been or contacts were identified, 333 kindergartens and four elementary, middle, and high schools closed or postponed opening according to closure orders. In Gunsan, Jeonbuk, where the eighth confirmed case was reported, 138 kindergartens and schools will remain closed for the time being. Nationwide, the total number of kindergartens and elementary, middle, and high schools that decided to postpone opening or close temporarily reached 484.

The Ministry of Education formed a 'Pan-Ministry Special Management Task Force (TF) for International Students' with the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and others, and began managing Chinese international students who are expected to enter the country in large numbers with the start of the semester. They continuously track the status of international students and provide information to each university, which then takes measures such as locating and self-quarantining students. Unlike elementary, middle, and high school students, whose health status is generally checked at home and school and reported to health authorities regularly, university students and international students are harder to control, which is a concern for health authorities. In the past 14 days, 112 university students, international students, and staff who entered Korea from Hubei Province, China?the origin of the novel coronavirus?are currently self-quarantining at home or elsewhere nationwide.

Universities are also canceling graduation ceremonies and new student orientations scheduled for mid-month. Sungkyunkwan University and Kyung Hee University decided not to hold entrance ceremonies planned for late this month, and especially Kyung Hee University, which has many international students, postponed the start of the semester by one week to March 2 and will monitor the situation. The Ministry of Education is considering recommending all universities postpone the start of the semester soon, as tens of thousands of Chinese international students may enter during this week following the end of the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday. A Ministry of Education official said, "Currently, universities are allowed to approve first-semester leave of absence for new students, which is generally prohibited, and are recommended to recognize attendance for those in self-quarantine."

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