'Contact Lost' Itaewon Visitor Tracking, Mobilizing Cell Phones and CCTV (Update)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The government is focusing on tracking visitors by mobilizing all available resources such as mobile phone base station information, credit card payment data, and CCTV footage to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cluster infection originating from Itaewon clubs. The number of confirmed cases related to Itaewon clubs has currently risen to 93.

Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters' quarantine team, said at a regular briefing held at the Government Complex Sejong on the morning of the 12th, "The government is swiftly locating contacts who visited Itaewon clubs by mobilizing all available resources," adding, "For those whose whereabouts cannot be confirmed through base station information and credit card payment data, we plan to cooperate with the police to verify their location using CCTV and other means."

Out of approximately 5,500 visitors to Itaewon clubs, about 2,000 have not been reached. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has secured a list of 5,517 visitors to five clubs in the Itaewon area from April 24 to May 6 to identify and verify the whereabouts of entrants.

Among them, direct phone interviews have been completed with 2,405 individuals. Of the remaining 3,112 who did not answer calls, notification messages have been sent to 1,130 people. For the 1,982 who remain unreachable, their locations are being checked through base station data and club card payment information. The Yongsan Police Station has also obtained closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to support epidemiological investigations.

The National Police Agency has established a rapid response team system nationwide, covering 8,559 people, to identify those among Itaewon club visitors whose whereabouts cannot be confirmed through card or base station information.

Yoon said, "Infections among younger age groups often show no or mild symptoms, but unknowingly, they can transmit the virus to vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those with underlying conditions, causing fatal risks," and urged, "We hope for continued cooperation with the quarantine authorities' measures."

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