Returning International Student: "Korean Quarantine System More Transparent Than Germany's, I Came Trusting It"

First Subject of Complete Testing for Arrivals from Europe

Interview with German Frankfurt International Student Go Woori

Temperature and Respiratory Check Confirmed 'Asymptomatic'

App Installation Followed by Bus Transfer to Quarantine Facility

Specimen Test → Negative → Self-Quarantine

While in the isolation facility, Mr. Go once wrote the message "Please give me some water" on a tissue with eyeliner and left it at the door, resulting in a situation where he received bottled water. Photo by Jeong Donghoon

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] "I returned because Korea's quarantine system is more transparent than Germany's, where they can't even track the movements of confirmed COVID-19 cases."

Go Woori (22), a German international student, arrived at Incheon Airport at 12:05 PM on the 22nd after boarding Asiana Airlines flight OZ542 from Frankfurt at 5:35 PM local time. From that day, the government began conducting COVID-19 specimen tests on all arrivals from Europe, making him the first subject of the complete testing for arrivals from Europe.

The quarantine measures were thorough from the moment of arrival. After disembarking the plane, his forehead temperature was immediately checked with a thermometer. He also submitted a self-health status checklist indicating the presence or absence of respiratory symptoms such as fever and cough during the flight. Since Go's temperature was below 37.5 degrees Celsius, he was given a necklace marked by the quarantine authorities indicating he was asymptomatic. Symptomatic individuals are transferred to quarantine facilities at the inspection station during the fever check process.

While waiting, he installed the 'COVID-19 Self-Diagnosis Application,' and quarantine staff checked 2 to 3 times whether the app was installed. He explained, "Among the people waiting together, 2 to 3 were classified as symptomatic and were quarantined," adding, "Arrivals from Europe were not allowed to visit any place except the restroom along the barricade lines set up in the airport transit corridors and were immediately moved to the bus stop where buses were waiting."

On the afternoon of the 22nd, Go Uri arrived at Cheonan Central Youth Training Center and is seen waiting for room assignment. Photo by Jeong Donghoon

Arrivals boarded buses according to their destinations such as Cheonan, Suwon, and Incheon. About 20 people boarded a 45-seat bus, sitting one seat apart. After about 1 hour and 30 minutes of travel, they arrived at Cheonan Central Youth Training Center around 4 PM. Go was assigned a room and waited for a long time before receiving the COVID-19 specimen test around 12:30 AM on the 23rd.

Go returned home as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Germany surpassed 20,000 and his university was closed. Above all, he felt Korea was safer than Germany. He said, "In Germany, few people wear masks, and the quarantine system has largely collapsed due to panic buying and other issues," adding, "They don't even disclose the movement paths of confirmed COVID-19 cases, so living there was very anxious." On the other hand, he viewed Korea as managing the COVID-19 situation transparently and having a stable medical system. Having received a negative COVID-19 test result around 8 PM the previous day (23rd), Go is currently self-quarantining at his home in Gumi, Gyeongbuk.

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