Chinese International Students Prohibited from Attending School for 14 Days After Entry... Semester Leave Allowed (Comprehensive)

Ministry of Education Prohibits Use of Multi-Use Facilities While Staying in Single Dormitory Rooms
Self-Quarantined Individuals Monitored Daily Through Universities and Local Governments

On the 4th, students wearing masks are passing in front of a banner with guidelines for preventing the novel coronavirus infection at Yonsei University in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The government has strengthened quarantine procedures under special entry protocols for Chinese international students upon arrival and instructed universities to check students daily for symptoms during the 14-day suspension of attendance period after entry. For Chinese international students who have not yet arrived, the government plans to delay their entry, substitute with remote classes, or actively allow a semester leave of absence.

On the 16th, the Ministry of Education held a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for COVID-19 and prepared the "Protection and Management Plan for Chinese International Students Entering Korea" to protect the health of international students and prevent the spread of infection in universities and local communities as the university semester start approaches.

According to data received by the Ministry of Education from the Ministry of Justice, since December last year, a total of 19,742 international students have entered Korea through China, of which 19,022 are Chinese nationals. As of last year, there are approximately 160,000 foreign international students in Korea, of which about 71,000 are Chinese.

The Ministry of Education first took measures to ensure thorough management of international students at each stage of entry. Before entry, the expected date of arrival, intended residence in Korea, and contact information are confirmed, and universities notify students in advance about the academic calendar, including semester start dates and attendance suspension policies. For students who face difficulties entering due to visa issuance delays or COVID-19, guidance will be provided to actively utilize remote classes within China or allow and recommend leaves of absence.

When international students enter Korea, quarantine is strengthened under special entry procedures to thoroughly check their health status, and upon arrival, the school contact person is immediately informed so that the school can continuously monitor the students.

During the 14-day suspension of attendance period after entry, universities check students daily for symptoms and instruct them to stay in dormitories or at home while minimizing outings as much as possible.

Students residing in dormitories are assigned single rooms as a principle, and universities must monitor daily for symptom occurrence. To minimize contact among international students, additional measures such as restricting student card usage will be implemented to prevent use of multi-use facilities like classrooms and libraries.

Students living alone in one-room apartments or at home are instructed to refrain from outings and contact for two weeks. Schools monitor symptoms at least once daily, and students themselves respond daily to symptom checks via a "self-diagnosis app," coordinated with public health centers and local governments. After the suspension period ends, the school confirms the final symptom status and guides attendance accordingly.

Meanwhile, for kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools scheduled to start in March, if confirmed cases occur after the semester begins requiring school closures, such closures will be minimized through consultation with health authorities, and support will be provided to operate the new semester curriculum normally.

Schools preparing to open will conduct special pre-opening disinfection, and after opening, frequently touched areas such as sinks, doorknobs, and handrails will be disinfected multiple times daily to strengthen school hygiene management.

Additionally, at the start of the semester, personal hygiene education on cough etiquette, handwashing, and how to respond to suspected symptoms will be reinforced for students, and hygiene measures and prevention guidelines will be promoted to parents to alleviate anxiety and prevent infection.

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