14 Koreans Aboard Japanese Cruise Ship... Government Says "No Plan to Evacuate Our Citizens"

Diamond Princess Quarantined Off Yokohama Port, Japan
Government: "No Other Countries Plan to Evacuate Their Nationals"
Focus on Consular Assistance Policy

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The government has announced that there are no plans to transfer Korean nationals aboard the cruise ship 'Diamond Princess,' which is quarantined off the coast of Yokohama Port, Japan, to South Korea. There are a total of 14 Koreans on board the cruise ship, including 9 passengers and 5 crew members. The government plans to focus on consular assistance.

On the 11th, Kim Kang-lip, Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for the Novel Coronavirus Infection (Wuhan Pneumonia), stated at a regular briefing, "We are confirming the safety of the 14 Korean nationals through the Yokohama Consulate," adding, "There are currently no plans for transfer." More than 130 confirmed cases have been reported on this cruise ship so far.

The government believes that since this issue occurred within Japan, basic measures such as treatment should be carried out by Japanese authorities. Deputy Head Kim said, "Since this is an issue occurring within Japanese territory, I believe basic measures such as treatment by the authorities should be implemented," and added, "We will strive to provide appropriate assistance, such as delivering necessary medicines and supplies."

It is also known that other countries, including Korea, have no plans to transfer their nationals aboard the cruise ship. Deputy Head Kim stated, "I understand that other countries also have no plans to transfer their nationals," and added, "It is appropriate to prioritize situation assessment and consular assistance through local consulates."

The government’s judgment is that repatriating overseas nationals who were staying in Wuhan and nearby areas in Hubei Province, China, by chartered flights differs from the case in Japan. Deputy Head Kim explained, "The principle is that control should be implemented in the affected area," and added, "In the case of Wuhan, China, the Chinese government locked down the entire area, so exceptional measures were taken to protect overseas nationals." He further added, "Since Japan has a sufficiently equipped medical system, it is too early to discuss the necessity of transferring our nationals to Korea."

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