Ministry of Education: "No Nationwide School Opening Delay"... Five Temporary Housing Facilities Designated for Chinese International Students (Comprehensive)

"Will Vary Depending on the Situation"
Daegu Delays Kindergarten to High School Opening by One Week

Yoo Eun-hye, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs, Expands Task Force
Seoul Youth Hostel, English Village, and 3 Other Sites Used as Temporary Housing Facilities

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

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Ministry of Education announced on the 21st that there are no plans to postpone the nationwide school opening due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

On the same day, Kim Kyutae, Director of Higher Education Policy at the Ministry of Education, responded to a question during a briefing held at the Government Seoul Office in the afternoon about whether there are plans to delay the opening of kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide, saying, "There are no plans."

However, regarding whether the postponement of school openings is being considered, Director Kim said, "We are reviewing it; it is difficult to say that we are not considering it," adding, "It will depend on the situation."

Daegu, where a large number of COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, postponed the opening of kindergartens, elementary, middle, high schools, and special schools by one week to March 9th. Subsequently, as additional confirmed cases emerged in Gyeongnam and Seoul, voices calling for a nationwide postponement of school openings have been raised.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has expanded and reorganized the COVID-19 response organization into a "Countermeasures Headquarters," headed by Yoo Eun-hye, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education. The Countermeasures Headquarters will include the "Kindergarten, Elementary, and Secondary Countermeasures Team" and the "University and International Student Countermeasures Team."

Additionally, the Ministry of Education held a meeting with the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the morning of the same day regarding measures for Chinese international students entering the country. While Seoul is utilizing facilities such as the Human Resources Development Institute as temporary residential facilities, five additional locations including the Seoul Youth Hostel and Seoul English Village are expected to be used. A Ministry of Education official explained, "These facilities will be used in exceptional cases where individuals are not confirmed cases but have symptoms and have tested negative, or those who must self-isolate due to unavoidable contact but do not have a place to stay."

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