Jeonnam Police Conduct COVID-19 Prevention Activities for North Korean Defectors and Foreign Residents

Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency building exterior

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] The Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency announced on the 21st that it is focusing on COVID-19 infection prevention activities for socially vulnerable groups such as North Korean defectors and foreign residents.

The Jeonnam police secured and distributed about 20,000 masks and 500 hand sanitizers through collaboration with local governments and police cooperation organizations to prevent infections among North Korean defectors and foreign workers.

They are also conducting disinfection in the residences of North Korean defectors suffering from pulmonary diseases and providing special care by frequently checking on patients or elderly people with mobility difficulties.

In addition, to prevent infections among foreign residents, they produced and distributed 6,000 leaflets with prevention guidelines in nine languages including Chinese and Vietnamese, and are spreading them through SNS as part of their policing activities for quarantine.

Furthermore, various preventive activities are being promoted, such as the implementation of the ‘Exemption System from the Obligation to Report Illegal Foreigners’ to encourage testing of illegal foreign residents, ‘Disinfection inspections of workplaces employing foreigners and group accommodations,’ and the production and use of an English ‘Pocketbook’ for efficient foreigner response by on-site police officers related to COVID-19.

A Jeonnam police official urged, “We ask for continuous interest in socially vulnerable groups such as North Korean defectors and foreign residents and active participation in practicing social distancing.”

Meanwhile, there are currently about 600 North Korean defectors residing in Jeonnam and about 34,000 foreigners staying in the area.

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