Lockdown Measures Worldwide, Will Overseas Koreans Be Evacuated One After Another?

Korean Association in Italy Conducts Demand Survey for Temporary Flights
Embassy in Peru Prepares for Charter Flights to Mexico... Ministry of Foreign Affairs "Consulting with Host Country"
Lockdown in Luzon Island, Philippines; Korean Air and Asiana Airlines Plan to Deploy Large Aircraft for Overseas Nationals Evacuation

On the 6th, illegal foreign residents are lining up to voluntarily report their departure at the Ministry of Justice Immigration Service Center in Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] “The government is making every effort to respond to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) with the highest priority on the safety of the people. We ask overseas diplomatic missions to strive to minimize the inconvenience and damage to our citizens.”

Late afternoon the previous day, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha repeatedly emphasized this during an emergency video conference. The video conference, attended by Vice Minister Lee Tae-ho and Deputy Minister Kim Geon, included six heads of overseas missions: the Ambassador to Italy, Ambassador to Germany, Ambassador to France, Ambassador to Spain, Ambassador to Belgium and the EU, and the Consul General in Milan. They discussed border control trends and cooperation measures with European countries and the European Union (EU).

Ultimately, Europe effectively closed its borders on the 17th (local time). As COVID-19, which began intensifying in Italy, rapidly spread to Germany, France, and Spain, the 27 EU member states agreed after much deliberation to ban foreign entry for 30 days. In Italy alone, confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassed 30,000, and deaths exceeded 500. In Bergamo, an industrial city in northern Italy with a population of about one million, over 380 people died from COVID-19 within a week, averaging more than 50 deaths per day.

As the situation worsened, anxiety among overseas Koreans increased. In Italy, which has the highest number of confirmed cases in Europe, the Korean community is taking the lead in arranging temporary flights. This is in preparation for the worst-case scenario where all flights to Korea are blocked. The Korean community completed a demand survey by 6 p.m. on the 17th local time, aiming for departure on the 21st.

An official from the Korean community in Italy explained, “Whether the flight operates will be decided after requesting Korean Air headquarters based on the number of people wishing to return.” They added, “Even if a charter flight is confirmed, it will take about 3 to 4 days to prepare from the decision date.” A Korean Air official stated, “There has been no official request from our government yet,” and “If an official request is made in the future, we will review the possibility of operation.”

Following Italy, overseas Koreans in France are also preparing to return home. The French Prime Minister’s Office recommended that foreign students other than French nationals at the international university village return to their home countries within a few days. Accordingly, the Korean Education Center in France is surveying resident students about their desire to return. It is reported that inquiries about flights to airlines and the Korean Embassy in France have surged.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Amid the pandemic fear, Peru in South America and the Philippines in Southeast Asia have locked their borders, leaving overseas Koreans and travelers stranded. Peru implemented a border closure and entry/exit ban starting at midnight on the 17th, and the Philippines will lock down the entire Luzon Island, including the capital Manila, from midnight on the 20th. From the 20th, no foreigners will be allowed to enter or leave Luzon Island.

According to the Korean Embassy in Peru, about 150 Korean travelers are stranded locally, with around 130 wishing to return home. The embassy conducted a demand survey by 1 p.m. on the 18th local time for a charter flight to Mexico. The embassy advised, “If a charter flight operates from Lima and Cusco to Mexico, those wishing to use it should send their name, passport number, and other details,” adding, “Flights from Mexico to Korea must be purchased individually.”

Due to the Luzon Island lockdown, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines have increased seat capacity to prepare for transporting overseas Koreans. Korean Air deployed large aircraft on the Manila-Incheon route, increasing seats by more than 60, and Asiana Airlines also deployed large aircraft on the 18th and 19th, securing over 600 additional seats. It is estimated that 50,000 to 60,000 Koreans, about two-thirds of those residing in the Philippines, live on Luzon Island.

A senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, “Peru is completely controlling entry and exit, so the responsibility primarily lies with Peru,” and “We are urging Peru to take responsible measures.” The official added, “Currently, only Luzon Island in the Philippines is affected, but such incidents are likely to continue,” and “We will cooperate with local missions and negotiate with host countries to enable travelers to depart.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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