290 Iraqi Construction Workers to Return Home on the 24th

COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Regular Briefing
"Health Check Before Boarding, Diagnostic Test After Entry, 2-Week Facility Quarantine"

Overseas Koreans and expatriates from the Milan area in Italy are returning to Korea through Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on a charter flight last April. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Approximately 290 workers from our construction companies in Iraq will return to Korea on the 24th. Upon arrival, they will immediately undergo COVID-19 testing, and even if the results are negative, they will be quarantined in a facility for two weeks.

On the 22nd, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced the transportation and quarantine management plan for the Iraqi construction workers. Due to the spread of COVID-19 in Iraq and the fact that many of our nationals dispatched to construction sites involving domestic companies have been infected locally or tested positive after returning to Korea, it was decided to bring them back to Korea.

Accordingly, on the 23rd, a government joint rapid response team composed of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, and medical personnel will be sent to the site to transport about 290 people wishing to return using two air refueling aircraft (KC-330). They will arrive at Incheon Airport on the 24th. To prevent infection during the return, health conditions will be assessed before boarding to separate symptomatic and asymptomatic passengers, and a separate gate will be set up at the airport for entry quarantine upon arrival.

If symptoms are present during quarantine, individuals will immediately undergo COVID-19 testing at Incheon Airport. Asymptomatic individuals will be sent to temporary living facilities for testing. Those who test positive will be treated at medical institutions or residential treatment centers, and even if negative, they must remain quarantined at the temporary living facilities until the 7th of next month. Medical support personnel, including doctors and nurses, will stay at the temporary living facilities to monitor their condition.

According to the government, since the COVID-19 outbreak, Koreans have been brought back from places such as Wuhan, China, and Italy. There have been 1,707 people repatriated from six countries using government-chartered flights. While assisting with their return, non-face-to-face medical services will be provided to ensure the safety of construction workers remaining locally, along with the provision of quarantine supplies.

Kim Kang-lip, the first chief coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at a briefing, "It is the fundamental duty of the state to help our nationals who have been exposed to infection risks return safely and provide an environment where they can be tested and treated." He added, "Over the past four months, 22,558 people have been admitted to temporary living facilities mainly used for foreign arrivals, and they have been safely managed without a single case of community infection."

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