All Three Vietnamese Individuals Who Escaped Self-Quarantine Facility in Gimpo Apprehended

Arrivals at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport are receiving information about transportation and other services.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kang Juhee] Three Vietnamese nationals who escaped while under self-quarantine at a temporary living facility for overseas arrivals in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, were caught by the police.

The International Crime Investigation Unit of the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency announced on the 29th that they have arrested and are investigating three Vietnamese nationals, including A (27), on charges of violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act. A and the others are accused of unlawfully leaving the temporary living facility for overseas arrivals in Gochon-eup, Gimpo City, at around 3:10 a.m. on the 27th.

The police reportedly confirmed the escape at 1:40 p.m. on the same day, just 10 hours after they disappeared. The police, who began tracking them, first apprehended two of the suspects at a garden shack in the Geomdan area of Incheon at 3:45 p.m. on the 29th, two days after the incident. The remaining Vietnamese individual was caught at 7:25 p.m. the same day at a dormitory of a manufacturing company in Gonjiam, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi Province.

A and the others entered the country on the 20th through Incheon International Airport with a short-term stay visa for tourism or transit purposes (B2). It was confirmed that they tested negative in the first COVID-19 test conducted immediately after their arrival.

After the test, they were quarantined at the temporary living facility but violated the facility’s guidelines by gathering together and conspiring to escape. During the police investigation, they reportedly stated, "We felt very frustrated inside the quarantine facility and escaped to get out quickly and earn money even for just one day."

The police plan to coordinate with health authorities to forcibly deport A and the other two after completing the investigation.

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