Unauthorized Daily Departures 3-4 Times While Using 'Self-Quarantine App'... "Return Voluntarily When Alarm Sounds"

Ministry of the Interior and Safety Reports 45% App Installation Rate... Immediately Notifies Dedicated Officials

On the 13th, when Hong Kong and Macao were designated as COVID-19 contaminated areas and special entry procedures for Hong Kong and Macao began, passengers on flights from Hong Kong at Incheon International Airport in Jung-gu, Incheon, were checking the installation of the 'Self-Diagnosis App.' / Yeongjongdo = Photo by Airport Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] It has been revealed that among users of a dedicated application (app) for managing self-quarantined individuals related to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), there are cases of unauthorized departures occurring at a rate of 3 to 4 people per day.

On the 21st, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety analyzed the installation and utilization status of the 'Self-Quarantine Safety Protection App' and reported that in the past week (from the 13th to the 19th), 3 to 4 cases of unauthorized departures by self-quarantined individuals were reported daily.

On the 13th, in City A, a self-quarantined individual went out to buy cigarettes, and on the 19th, in City B, a quarantined person left home to go to a mart to purchase daily necessities.

Their unauthorized departures were immediately reported in real-time to the responsible public officials through the 'Safety Protection App.' Upon confirming the departure, the officials persuaded the self-quarantined individuals to return home and subsequently conducted separate visits and other measures to prevent further unauthorized departures, the Ministry explained.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety stated, "When a quarantined person leaves the designated location, an alarm sounds simultaneously for both the individual and the responsible public official, enabling immediate action. The quarantined individuals also feel psychological pressure, which is considered effective in preventing departures."

As of the 20th, the app installation rate was recorded at 45.2%. Out of 10,594 self-quarantine subjects nationwide, 4,787 had installed the app.

By region, Ulsan had the highest installation rate at 95.2%, followed by Sejong at 87.3%, Chungbuk at 84.3%, and Jeonnam at 82.4%.

The Self-Quarantine Safety Protection App was developed to support the monitoring tasks of self-quarantined individuals conducted by local governments. It includes functions such as self-reporting of suspected symptoms twice daily by the quarantined person and real-time monitoring of whether the individual has left the quarantine location using a Global Positioning System (GPS).

The service began on the 7th for Android devices and was distributed for iPhones on the 16th. Installation of the app requires the consent of the self-quarantined individual, and elderly people who are not familiar with smartphones or use 2G phones are managed through phone calls as before.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to utilize this app for monitoring self-quarantined individuals, both domestic and foreign nationals, arriving recently from Europe and to strengthen management of those who do not install the app.

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