Cheong: "Special Entry Procedures Applied to All Entrants" in Response to Petition for 'Ban on Chinese Entry'

Cheongwadae Responds to Petition with Over 760,000 Participants... "Thorough Identification of All Foreigners and Nationals Arriving from China through Special Entry Procedures"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] The Blue House announced regarding the petition to ban the entry of Chinese nationals due to the 'Novel Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19)' that "special entry procedures have been applied to all entrants since the 19th." The Blue House added, "We have established a system to closely manage entrants from high-risk areas and monitor their health status," and "through this, we are thoroughly managing entrants from high-risk areas such as China."

Kang Jeong-su, head of the Blue House Digital Communication Center, explained the petition to ban Chinese entry on the 20th. This petition started on January 23 and received agreement from 761,833 people over a month. The petitioner requested a preemptive measure to temporarily ban the entry of Chinese nationals even during the Lunar New Year period amid the spread of the COVID-19 virus in January.

Center head Kang stated, "The government, as of 0:00 on February 4, has completely banned the entry of all foreigners who have visited or stayed in Hubei Province within the last 14 days and temporarily suspended the visa-free entry system for Jeju Island," adding, "through the 'special entry procedures,' we have thoroughly identified all domestic and foreign nationals entering from China and minimized their entry."

The departure hall of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport is quiet on the 6th. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

In particular, Center head Kang emphasized, "The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, a global infectious disease outbreak, and as COVID-19 spread to Europe, the United States, and other countries worldwide, from the 19th, special entry procedures have been expanded and applied to all entrants." This means that special entry procedures are applied not only to China but also to all entrants from Europe, the United States, and other countries.

Center head Kang explained, "The government is actively implementing measures to suppress and end the COVID-19 virus infection based on three major principles: openness, transparency, and democratic procedures," and "especially from the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak until now, the government has transparently disclosed all domestic situations, policy directions, and responses."

Center head Kang conveyed that although the government has not accepted a complete ban on entry for all Chinese nationals, it is listening to public concerns. He said, "The government seriously acknowledges your concerns and anxieties related to COVID-19 expressed through the petition," and "the government will navigate the crisis calmly and wisely through swift and extraordinary responses, seamless cooperation with local governments and communities, and close coordination with the international community."

Center head Kang stated, "The government recognizes that 'the safety and health of the people are the most important and urgent matters that cannot be exchanged for anything else,' and is responding to COVID-19 with the determination that 'there can be no compromise on public safety.'"

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