Vocational and Movement 'False Statements' Lead to Academy Instructor's Report... Incheon City Says "Epidemiological Investigation Obstruction"

Entrance door of the private academy building located in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, where a COVID-19 confirmed case linked to the Itaewon clubs was reported. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] An instructor at a private academy in Incheon who tested positive for COVID-19 after visiting a club in Itaewon, Seoul, was reported to the police for lying about their occupation and movement during an investigation by health authorities.

Incheon City announced on the 14th that it had reported instructor A (25) from a private academy in Michuhol-gu to the Michuhol Police Station on charges of violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act.

Incheon Mayor Park Namchun stated on his Facebook on the same day, "We have reported the 102nd confirmed patient in Incheon (A) who obstructed the epidemiological investigation with false statements," adding, "Due to the false statements, infected students were not quarantined in advance and were fully exposed to the local community over the past weekend."

He continued, "Two students infected by the (academy) instructor attended church services, creating a dangerous situation where a cluster infection could spread within the church."

Mayor Park added, "Among the 718 worshippers excluding 232 who attended online services, 362 tested negative and 356 are still undergoing testing," and confirmed, "So far, no additional infections have been confirmed at the church."

A visited King Club in Itaewon, Seoul, from the 1st to the 3rd, and after being tested at the Michuhol-gu Public Health Center screening clinic on the 8th, was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on the 9th.

During the initial investigation by health authorities, A did not disclose that they were an academy instructor and claimed to be unemployed, and did not clearly state the areas visited or their movements.

However, suspecting this, Incheon health authorities requested the police to check A’s mobile phone location data (GPS), revealing on the 12th that A worked as an instructor at a private academy in Michuhol-gu and also provided private tutoring.

Among the confirmed cases infected through A, two students attended services at two churches located in Michuhol-gu and Dong-gu on the 10th, raising concerns about further infections.

An Incheon city official said, "If A had truthfully disclosed their occupation on the 9th when they were confirmed positive, contacts would have entered self-quarantine earlier," and added, "Since A obstructed the epidemiological investigation by health authorities, they have been reported to the police on charges of violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act."

In Incheon, cluster infections are spreading mainly among students who had contact with A, who was confirmed positive after visiting the Itaewon club. As of today, there are 14 additional confirmed cases related to A, including one fellow instructor, nine students, two parents, one private tutor, and one acquaintance.

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