Gwangju Immigration Office Encourages Foreigners to Undergo COVID-19 Testing and Voluntary Departure Reporting

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] The Gwangju Immigration and Foreigners Office (Director Kim Jinyoung) announced on the 22nd that on the 21st, it conducted on-site inspections and guidance activities to encourage COVID-19 testing for symptomatic illegal foreign residents and voluntary departure reporting.

This inspection targeted the industrial complex area around Samho-eup, Yeongam-gun, Jeonnam, a region densely populated by foreigners, as well as nearby one-room apartments and entertainment establishments.

This area is known for its dense foreign resident population, and it is presumed that a significant number of illegal foreign residents also live there. Therefore, the office coordinated with Yeongam County Office, Yeongam Police Station, and foreigner support organizations.

The focus was on encouraging COVID-19 testing among illegal foreign residents, promoting social distancing by curbing indiscriminate visits to entertainment establishments by foreigners, and publicizing that COVID-19 testing can be done without fear of enforcement actions.

It was actively promoted that if one is subject to COVID-19 testing and undergoes diagnostic testing, ▲ regardless of nationality or visa status, there is no cost, the same as for Korean nationals, and ▲ in the case of illegal foreign residents, if they receive medical treatment for COVID-19 related symptoms at medical institutions, the immigration and foreigner authorities will not be notified, and enforcement actions will be deferred.

Staff from the Gwangju Immigration and Foreigners Office distributed promotional materials on screening test costs and exemption from reporting obligations for illegal foreign residents in 14 languages, as well as materials on the voluntary departure system for illegal foreign residents in 6 languages.

Additionally, ahead of the end of the voluntary departure reporting period for illegal foreign residents at the end of next month, they informed that voluntary departure reporting is possible even without an airline ticket.

A representative from the Gwangju Immigration and Foreigners Office stated, “To prevent blind spots in COVID-19 quarantine, we plan to conduct additional joint guidance activities by visiting foreigner-dense areas within the jurisdiction. We will also continue guidance activities targeting entertainment establishments frequently used by foreigners.”

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