Government: "Stricter Unannounced and On-Site Inspections for Self-Quarantine Violators Not Wearing Safety Bands" (Update)

A Gwanak District Office official and police officers are visiting the home of a person in self-quarantine to verify their quarantine status.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The government is promoting a plan to have those who violate self-quarantine measures related to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) wear safety bands, and has decided to strengthen surprise inspections if they refuse to wear the bands. Since wearing the bands requires the consent of the individual, it is expected that a significant number will not agree, so this is a measure to enhance effectiveness.

Yoon Tae-ho, head of the COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters’ quarantine team, said at a briefing on the 12th, "If individuals do not agree to wear the safety band, we plan to strengthen monitoring functions," adding, "We will significantly increase on-site inspections and phone checks to achieve the same level of effectiveness as those wearing the safety bands."

The safety bands for those who violate self-quarantine measures are based on the consent of the individual. Since there is no legal basis to enforce wearing, public officials must fully explain the violation details and punishment regulations before obtaining a consent form. The government has expressed its intention to respond strictly under a zero-tolerance principle if self-quarantine is violated, and even if the violator is caught and then wears the safety band, the zero-tolerance principle will still apply as a basic stance.

However, Yoon said, "There may be room for consideration during the investigation or sentencing process," and added, "I believe it is up to the investigative or judicial authorities to make judgments with leniency."

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