Additional Quarantine of Koreans in Weihai, China... Quarantine and Control Measures Expanding (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Sunmi Park] As quarantine and control measures for arrivals from Korea are being implemented across various regions in China, additional forced quarantines of Koreans arriving at Weihai Airport in Shandong Province continued on the 26th, following the previous day.

On the 26th, an official from the Korean Embassy in China stated, "At 10:50 a.m. local time, all 147 passengers (6 Koreans, 141 Chinese) who arrived on Jeju Air flight 7C8054 at Weihai Airport were quarantined at designated hotels," adding, "Three Chinese passengers showed symptoms of fever, and all passengers will undergo COVID-19 related testing."

At Weihai Airport, 163 passengers from Jeju Air arriving from Incheon were quarantined the previous day, including 19 Koreans who remain quarantined at designated hotels in Weihai city. The official explained, "The 19 Koreans who arrived at Weihai Airport the day before are scheduled to undergo COVID-19 related tests over two days, from the 26th to the 27th," and added, "So far, no health abnormalities have been identified." They further stated, "According to the notice, a 14-day quarantine is the principle, but we are requesting that if test results are normal, the quarantine be changed to self-isolation."

The Chinese government has explained that forced quarantine of arrivals is not targeted only at Koreans, but criticism has arisen that the sudden forced quarantine of asymptomatic individuals is an excessive measure, especially since Korea has not banned Chinese arrivals. In response, the Shandong provincial government explained that the quarantine measure, suddenly implemented the previous day, was taken to protect all passengers after five individuals showing fever symptoms were found on the plane, and that Weihai city failed to clearly explain this situation to the Korean government, causing some misunderstanding. The Korean diplomatic authorities have expressed regret to the Shandong provincial government and are strongly requesting the prompt return of Korean nationals. Korean passengers are expected to be released from forced quarantine within 3 to 4 days if no special issues arise from the COVID-19 tests.

Control measures for arrivals from Korea are increasingly expanding and strengthening across various regions in China. Following the group quarantine of Koreans on the Asiana Airlines flight from Incheon to Nanjing the previous day, the quarantined Koreans are confirmed to be waiting at designated hotels for COVID-19 related tests. An embassy official explained, "In Nanjing, due to fever symptoms in three Chinese passengers, about 100 passengers seated around them (including 65 Koreans) were quarantined," adding, "Currently, 65 Koreans are quarantined at hotels, and related testing is underway."

In the Dalian area of Liaoning Province, where many Korean businesses and residents reside, quarantine staff have boarded planes arriving from Korea and Japan since the previous day to measure the body temperature of all passengers. In Shenyang, Liaoning Province, quarantine for flights from Korea has been strengthened; upon disembarking, Koreans are transported by designated vehicles to hospitals for COVID-19 testing. Even if the test results are negative, they must self-isolate after returning home. In some areas of Jiangsu Province, passengers arriving from Korea are reportedly not allowed to go home upon arrival at the airport and are quarantined for 14 days at government-designated hotels.

In some regions such as Shenyang and Beijing, warning notifications have been issued advising local residents to avoid areas with many Koreans as much as possible. In Shanghai, temperature checks have reportedly been conducted on Koreans who have been in the country for two weeks after arrival. Starting from the 26th, Shanghai officially requires two weeks of quarantine for Korean residents who leave Shanghai and then re-enter.

In some areas of Hebei Province, it is said that red stickers with warning messages about 14-day quarantine are attached to the doors of people returning from other regions.

The central Chinese government appears to be passive and supportive of the local governments’ strengthened control measures on Korean arrivals. At a press briefing the previous afternoon, Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized, "Protecting the lives, safety, and health of one’s own citizens and safeguarding regional and global public health security in the face of infectious diseases is a responsibility that every country must bear."

As online disputes between Koreans and Chinese flare up over China’s strengthening of regional control levels to prevent COVID-19 re-importation, China has also begun a rationalization campaign using the media.

On the same day, the Chinese state-run Global Times explained, "Strict measures such as enhanced quarantine for arrivals may be seen in contrast to the goodwill and assistance neighboring countries showed China during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, but these methods represent China’s practical, scientific, and reasonable response." The newspaper added, "These methods chosen by China are the only way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. If reinfection spreads again, all the COVID-19 control efforts so far will be in vain, and the global fight against COVID-19 will reach a deadlock."

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