Jeju Island "Gangnam Student Mother and Daughter File Compensation Lawsuit Today... Claim Amount Exceeds 100 Million Won"

Image source=Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] Jeju Province will file a lawsuit for damages on the 30th against a mother and daughter, American international students residing in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, who insisted on traveling within the province despite showing suspected symptoms of COVID-19. The claim amount is expected to exceed 100 million won.

Won Hee-ryong, Governor of Jeju Province, stated at a joint COVID-19 briefing on the morning of the same day, "Currently, 20 visited businesses have temporarily closed, and 96 residents have given up their livelihoods and entered self-quarantine," adding, "The estimated damages alone exceed 100 million won."

The plaintiffs are Jeju Province and six businesses. The number of participating businesses in the lawsuit is expected to increase later. Governor Won raised his voice, saying, "There should be no freeloading behavior based on the struggles of medical staff, the efforts of quarantine officials, and the public's social distancing efforts," and "We intend to sound a strong warning through this lawsuit."

Jeju Province plans to proceed with criminal litigation separately from the damages lawsuit if it is confirmed that community infections occurred due to the American international students or if they made false statements.

The 19-year-old female American international student residing in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, returned to Korea on the 15th and traveled to Jeju with three others, including her mother, for a 4-night, 5-day trip starting on the 20th. She was diagnosed with COVID-19 on the 25th after returning to Seoul. Her mother also tested positive in a subsequent diagnostic test. The daughter reported muscle pain and sore throat symptoms to the health center starting from the afternoon of the 20th. Despite suspected symptoms, they insisted on traveling to Jeju.

Jeju Province identified that the group visited a total of 20 locations in Jeju through the patient's statements, CCTV footage, and card usage message records. Earlier, Governor Won said, "Traveling to Jeju without following the government's recommendation to self-quarantine for 14 days is a serious moral hazard and the worst case," adding, "We will thoroughly pursue legal responsibility for visitors who do not comply with quarantine guidelines and take firm measures."

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