Living Expenses Support for Isolated Foreigners... 1-Person Household 454,900 Won (Update)

Government Announces 'Plan to Strengthen Quarantine for Arrivals from Europe'
Living Support and Paid Leave Provided to Quarantined Foreigners
Same Penalties as Nationals for Quarantine Violations

On the 13th, when special entry procedures for China, Hong Kong, and Macau began, passengers on a flight from Hong Kong were lined up at Incheon International Airport to install the 'Self-Diagnosis App.' [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] The government will provide living support funds and paid leave expenses to foreigners who are quarantined at home or in facilities due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). In addition, if quarantine obligations are violated, domestic laws will be applied, and the same penalties as for nationals will be enforced.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) announced on the 20th the "Plan to Strengthen Quarantine Measures for Arrivals from Europe."

Living support funds are provided only to those who have received a quarantine notice under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act and have been hospitalized or quarantined, and who have faithfully complied with the quarantine authorities' measures.

The support amount for a 14-day or longer quarantine is KRW 1.23 million per month for a four-person household. For households with one member, KRW 454,900 is provided; for two members, KRW 774,700; for three members, KRW 1,002,400. For households with five or more members, KRW 1,457,500 is provided. If the support recipient is a foreigner, the one-person household rate is applied.

If the quarantine period is less than 14 days, the amount is calculated on a pro-rata basis. The daily support amounts are KRW 32,493 for one-person households, KRW 55,336 for two-person households, KRW 71,600 for three-person households, KRW 87,857 for four-person households, and KRW 104,107 for five-person households. For households with five or more members, the five-person household amount is applied.

Paid leave expenses are supported up to KRW 130,000 per day to employers who provide paid leave under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act to workers who are hospitalized or quarantined.

Under current law, those who violate self-quarantine orders are fined KRW 3 million. From April, the penalty will be increased to imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to KRW 10 million.

Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Central Accident Response Headquarters' quarantine team at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated at a regular briefing that "According to the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, once quarantined, support is provided regardless of nationality." He added, "However, for foreigners, living support funds are applied only as a single-person household, unlike nationals, and paid leave expenses are capped at KRW 130,000 per person per month, regardless of higher monthly wages."

Meanwhile, according to the CDSCH, as of the 18th, 90% of arrivals from Europe were nationals, and 10% were foreigners. Additionally, over the past week, 67% of foreigners arriving from Europe were long-term residents (holders of long-term visas), and about 33% were short-term residents (holders of short-term visas) who entered for official, investment, or reporting purposes. Based on this, the CDSCH expects the number of foreigners in facility quarantine to be low.

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