'3rd Charter Flight' Carrying Overseas Koreans and Families Arrives at Gimpo... Over 60 Chinese Families (Update)

Departed from Tianhe Airport, China at 4:14 with over 140 passengers
Number of passengers decreased from the initially expected 170+

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The government's third chartered flight carrying overseas Koreans and Chinese nationals' family members who had been staying in Wuhan, China?the epicenter of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia)?and nearby areas arrived at Gimpo Airport at 6:23 a.m. on the 12th.

It was confirmed that about 140 overseas Koreans and Chinese nationals' family members boarded this chartered flight. Previously, around 170 overseas Koreans and Chinese nationals' family members had expressed their intention to return, but the actual number of passengers decreased somewhat. Among those who boarded, about 60 were Chinese nationals' family members, and the reason for the decrease in the actual number of passengers has not yet been identified.

The boarding of Chinese nationals' family members on the chartered flight became possible following a change in the Chinese government's policy. The Chinese government revised its policy to allow direct relatives such as parents and children of overseas Koreans, as well as spouses, to board the chartered flight even if they hold Chinese nationality.

Up to the third chartered flight, a total of about 780 overseas Koreans have returned. Two chartered flights were deployed on the 30th and 31st, bringing in 701 people. Previously, only Korean nationals were allowed to board the first and second chartered flights. It is estimated that about 100 overseas Koreans remain in Wuhan.

After undergoing domestic quarantine procedures, the overseas Koreans and Chinese nationals' family members were transported to the Defense Language Institute of the Joint Military University in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, designated as a temporary living facility, where they will stay for 14 days. The Defense Language Institute is responsible for language education for officers and non-commissioned officers scheduled for overseas deployment and Korean language education for foreign military officers dispatched to Korea. The facility is a four-story building with about 350 individual rooms, including 327 single rooms of 21.8㎡ for Korean military personnel and 26 single rooms of 44.9㎡ for foreign military personnel. Assuming one person is assigned per room in preparation for the occurrence of suspected novel coronavirus cases, it can accommodate about 350 people.

The temporary living facility is located about 17 km from downtown areas such as Icheon City Hall and about 1 km from the nearest apartment complex. Due to the accommodation of overseas Koreans, foreign and Korean military officers who were previously receiving education at the Defense Language Institute have had to leave their dormitories. The Ministry of National Defense plans to relocate about 90 foreign military officers currently receiving Korean language training at the Defense Language Institute to a government facility in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, to continue their education.

Meanwhile, the third chartered flight departed Incheon Airport the previous night, arrived at Tianhe Airport in China, boarded overseas Koreans and Chinese nationals' family members who passed Chinese authorities' quarantine, and departed for Korea at 4:14 a.m. that day.

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