US Ambassador Harris Observing Quarantine at Incheon Airport: "A Model for Preventing COVID-19 Spread... Stay Strong"

Operation of Three 'US Route Departure Quarantine Inspection Rooms' at Incheon Airport

On the morning of the 11th, when pre-departure quarantine procedures for the Korea-US route were implemented, Harry Harris, the U.S. Ambassador to Korea, visited Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport and inspected the quarantine inspection room. / Yeongjongdo - Photo by Kim Hyunmin kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Incheon International Airport=Reporter Yoo Je-hoon] Harry Harris, the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, visited Incheon International Airport on the 11th to observe the U.S. departure quarantine procedures related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

At 8:30 a.m. that day, Ambassador Harris, along with Kim Sang-do, Director General of Aviation Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Koo Bon-hwan, President of Incheon Airport Corporation, visited the "U.S. Route Departure Quarantine Inspection Room" installed at Terminal 2 of Incheon Airport. After receiving a brief briefing on the "three-stage quarantine system," they personally inspected each quarantine station.

The first checkpoint, the Stage 1 quarantine station with a fever screening desk, is equipped with thermometers and thermal imaging cameras to continuously monitor the body temperature of passengers entering the airport. Ambassador Harris also checked his temperature using the thermal imaging camera at this station. He said, "The U.S. Embassy in Korea highly respects the Korean government’s efforts to protect passengers, especially those departing for the United States," adding, "And I want to say 'Stay strong.'"

Next, Ambassador Harris visited the U.S. Route Departure Quarantine Inspection Room located near B Counter. This inspection room, which began operation at midnight that day, is a dedicated space prepared for passengers boarding flights to the United States, with one and two locations installed in Terminals 1 and 2, respectively. Accordingly, passengers bound for the U.S. must complete a health questionnaire, undergo a fever screening (boarding denied if temperature is 37.5°C or higher), and receive a "quarantine confirmation certificate" within the inspection room before they can check in. Naturally, U.S.-bound passengers cannot use the city airport terminal, self-check-in, or mobile check-in services.

Passengers exhibiting a fever of 37.5°C or higher are moved to a screening clinic within the inspection room, where a brief epidemiological investigation is conducted, including travel history to COVID-19 affected areas. High-risk individuals undergo COVID-19 specimen testing near Terminal 1, while others receive basic health education before being sent home.

Ambassador Harris then proceeded through the Stage 2 fever screening set up at the departure hall entrance and moved inside the airside. He concluded his visit by receiving a briefing on the Stage 3 fever screening (conducted by the airline) in front of Gate 251, where Korean Air Flight 051 to Atlanta, U.S., was scheduled to depart.

Ambassador Harris stated, "The Korean government and Incheon Airport are collaborating to implement meticulous and phased measures," adding, "I believe Korea’s approach can serve as a global model for preventing the spread of COVID-19. The Korean government’s efforts to protect passengers are commendable."

The reason our authorities have strengthened quarantine measures for passengers bound for the U.S. is because entry restrictions have been discussed within the U.S. due to the spread of COVID-19. In fact, Axios, a U.S. political news outlet, reported that senior officials in the Trump administration discussed designating Italy and Korea as restricted entry countries during a COVID-19 task force meeting but concluded that such measures would be ineffective.

An aviation industry official said, "If even trans-Pacific routes are shut down, it would be like cutting the last lifeline for the aviation industry," adding, "Moreover, the negative impact on other industries would not be insignificant."

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