Choo Mi-ae on Quarantine 'Registered Mail' Delivery Controversy: "Procedure in Law... Ordered Immediate Correction"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae stated that the Ministry of Justice's measure to notify self-quarantine subjects of their travel bans through face-to-face "registered mail" despite the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) was "a procedure stipulated by law."

On the 4th, during the National Assembly's education, social, and cultural sector government questioning, when Minsheng Party lawmaker Kim Kwang-soo pointed out the issue, Minister Choo said, "Since this matter requires a high level of confidentiality, there was difficulty for the staff in finding a method other than registered mail."

When delivered by registered mail, postal workers must hand the mail to self-quarantine subjects face-to-face and obtain a signature confirming proper delivery. Because of this, the Korea Post and the National Postal Workers' Union criticized Minister Choo, saying, "They are turning postal workers into vectors of COVID-19."

Minister Choo said, "We listened to field difficulties via text messages and issued repeated instructions to revise the method to allow non-face-to-face delivery," adding, "From the next day, the delivery was made using 'quasi-registered mail,' which does not require face-to-face contact."

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