'Korean Isolated in Peru Arrives at Incheon on 28th via Temporary Flight... Italian Overseas Nationals Return on 1st and 2nd Next Month'

202 Koreans in Peru Depart from Lima, Peru's Capital on the 26th
600 Overseas Koreans in Italy Return Home via Temporary Flights from Rome and Milan

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] About 200 Korean travelers, including those stranded in Peru due to the border closure amid concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), will leave the capital Lima and return to Incheon International Airport on the 28th after overcoming various difficulties.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 26th, the government announced that 202 Koreans stranded due to the border closure will depart from Lima, the capital of Peru, on the same day and are scheduled to arrive at Incheon Airport on the morning of the 28th. The 202 Koreans include overseas nationals, KOICA volunteers, and employees of the Animal, Plant and Fisheries Quarantine and Inspection Agency.

The government obtained special travel permission from the Peruvian government and deployed seven buses separately to transport Koreans scattered across various regions to the capital Lima. Fifty-nine people staying in Cusco, which is 1,000 km away from Lima, will first arrive in Lima by domestic flight within Peru and will proceed with departure procedures simultaneously with the 57 people traveling by bus.

An AeroMexico aircraft, a Mexican airline, will be deployed on the Lima-Incheon Airport route. This flight will head to Incheon via Mexico. A senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "AeroMexico is the only airline operating direct flights between Korea and Mexico," adding, "Since transiting through the United States involves complicated procedures due to entry restrictions, we chose an airline with operational experience instead of our national airline." The Lima-Incheon flight costs 3.5 million KRW per adult, and the Cusco-Lima segment costs 500,000 KRW, both at the individual's expense.

About 600 Italian overseas nationals will also return next week from Rome and Milan to avoid COVID-19. The final count of those wishing to return is 151 at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Italy in Rome and 430 at the Consulate General in Milan. The large aircraft deployed in the first phase will operate on the 1st of next month, and the second flight coming from Rome via Milan to Korea aims to arrive on the 2nd of next month. The cost of 2 million KRW per adult is borne by the individual. The Italian overseas nationals returning this time will undergo strengthened entry procedures for arrivals from Europe.

As a result of mobilizing all diplomatic channels, irregular flights and temporary flights from other countries have opened routes for returnees from countries with blocked return paths such as Mongolia and Rwanda. One hundred seventy-one Koreans staying in Mongolia will return via one or two irregular flights this weekend, and seven nationals staying in Rwanda will return using a temporary flight arranged by the U.S. Embassy. A senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "In the case of government temporary flights, we must comprehensively consider the basic risk level, availability of existing transportation, and the number of people wishing to return," adding, "Through the assistance of local diplomatic missions, citizens are returning home through various methods."

In Morocco, although there are 100 Koreans wishing to return, Qatar Airways has informed that it requires securing 250 passengers to operate the flight, causing difficulties. In Senegal, where the border is closed and nighttime curfew is imposed after 8 p.m., overseas nationals who wished to return before the lockdown but could not are reportedly still remaining. The Korean Embassy in Senegal stated, "The Senegalese Ministry of the Interior has implemented emergency measures, prohibiting inter-regional movement and nighttime activities," and urged, "Since nighttime curfew enforcement is very strict, please return home before 7 p.m."

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