"Deport Undocumented Immigrants" vs "Risk of Blind Spots in Quarantine" Controversy Over COVID-19-Related Xenophobia Against Foreigners

Vietnamese COVID-19 Patient Sparks Calls to "Deport Foreigners Not Cooperating with Quarantine"
Quarantine Authorities Unable to Contact Due to Fear of Forced Deportation
Over 380,000 Undocumented Foreigners in Korea Raise Concerns of Quarantine Blind Spots
Critics Warn Hate Speech and Stigmatization May Discourage Foreigners' Participation in Quarantine Efforts

On the afternoon of the 18th, it was confirmed that a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) from an Itaewon club in Seoul had visited a nightclub in Bucheon. The entrance to the nightclub in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, is closed. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and intern Juhyung Lim] Controversy is growing over Mr. A, a Vietnamese illegal immigrant who was confirmed positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) after visiting an Itaewon club in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

Some argue that undocumented migrant workers, including illegal immigrants, should be caught and deported abroad, while others point out that alienation and hatred toward foreigners could push them into a 'blind spot' in quarantine efforts.

Earlier, on the 1st, Mr. A, a Vietnamese illegal immigrant who showed suspected COVID-19 symptoms after visiting an Itaewon club in Seoul, was tested and confirmed positive on the 15th at a screening clinic in Bucheon City, Gyeonggi Province, where a friend lives.

At that time, following the quarantine authorities' guideline that visitors to Itaewon clubs do not have to provide their identity, Mr. A left no personal information except for his mobile phone contact number. After testing positive on the 16th, Mr. A turned off his phone and did not respond to calls from the quarantine authorities.

The problem lies in the fact that Mr. A visited not only the Itaewon club but also a friend's house, a nightclub, and a karaoke room. Before showing COVID-19 symptoms, on the afternoon of the 9th, he visited a friend's house located in Ojeong-dong, Bucheon City, where he came into contact with 32 people. That same afternoon, he also visited 'Merit Night' in Bucheon. It is known that about 250 people were gathered at the nightclub.

After being confirmed positive, Mr. A reportedly did not answer calls from the quarantine authorities due to fear of forced deportation as an illegal immigrant.

Seoul Itaewon Club Infection / Photo by Yonhap News

Given the situation, criticism against Mr. A is growing. Visiting enclosed spaces such as clubs and bars and spreading COVID-19, and not responding to the quarantine authorities after being confirmed positive, are seen as irresponsible.

A man in his 20s, office worker Mr. A, said, "Others did not avoid entertainment facilities because they don't know how to have fun. Moreover, not cooperating properly with the epidemiological investigation is a big problem," adding, "Regardless of his illegal status, he deserves criticism."

Another office worker, Mr. B (29), raised his voice, saying, "Why did he go to a nightclub despite being an illegal immigrant? I think he should have been more careful."

Similar criticism continued on online communities. One netizen said, "In some overseas countries, foreigners are strictly prohibited from entering to prevent the spread of COVID-19," and argued, "Illegal immigrants who do not cooperate properly with quarantine should all be caught and sent back."

On the other hand, there are concerns that such opinions might rather intimidate foreigners and undermine the quarantine network.

Mr. C, a graduate student in his 30s, said, "The government supports free COVID-19 testing for illegal immigrants because if there are actual infected persons among them, the virus could spread rapidly to other groups," adding, "If we alienate them, the risk will eventually come back to us."

On the afternoon of February 1st, a foreign tourist is receiving consultation at the Jung-gu Public Health Center screening clinic installed near Myeongdong Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, to prevent the inflow and spread of COVID-19. / Photo by Yonhap News

The government is providing free testing for foreigners, including illegal immigrants. Earlier, on the 1st, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) announced quarantine management measures for foreign residents. CDSCH supports free testing for symptomatic residents and plans to provide COVID-19 testing information in 16 languages targeting areas densely populated by foreigners.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice decided to temporarily suspend crackdowns so that foreigners presumed to be illegally staying due to expired visas can get tested without fear of forced deportation.

The government's encouragement of COVID-19 testing for illegal immigrants aims to prevent them from being pushed into a 'blind spot' in quarantine.

According to the Ministry of Justice, as of March, there were a total of 387,001 illegal foreign residents in Korea, accounting for 17.6% of the total 2.2 million foreign residents in the country. If there are hidden infected individuals not detected by the existing quarantine network, local infections could spread rapidly, especially in areas densely populated by foreigners.

Experts suggest the need to improve immigration systems, such as the permanent residency system, and to change the overall social perception of migrants.

Kim Jihak, director of the Korea Diversity Research Institute, told Asia Economy in a phone interview, "Most undocumented migrant workers who became illegal immigrants initially settled in Korea with work visas but failed to extend their visas, resulting in expiration," advising, "There is a need to improve immigration systems, including issuing permanent residency to long-term residents."

He added, "It is also necessary to recognize that undocumented migrant workers are not just outsiders but people who play a role in our society," and said, "For this reason, I believe the term 'undocumented migrant workers' should be established rather than 'illegal immigrants.'"

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