[Visiting the COVID-19 Frontline] "Don't Know When It Will End... Let's Go to Jeju" Crowded Airport

At around 7 a.m. on the 19th, despite the early morning, Gimpo Airport's domestic terminal is bustling with travelers checking in.

[Asia Economy Reporters Kim Suhwan and Ryu Taemin] "Staying cooped up at home was too frustrating, so I decided to travel to Jeju."

On the morning of the 19th at Gimpo Airport's domestic terminal, Mr. Lee met with reporters before boarding a flight to Jeju and said this. Mr. Lee's family plans to spend their year-end vacation in Jeju for two days, the 19th and 20th. He said, "Due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), I haven't been able to take a proper vacation all year. Although there is a risk since we don't know when the COVID-19 situation will end, we decided to travel while maintaining safety."

◆Crowded airports... gaps in quarantine measures everywhere= Despite the daily COVID-19 cases exceeding 1,000 and health authorities urging people to refrain from traveling, gatherings, and outings, airports were an exception. Around the Christmas holidays and year-end New Year period, crowds flocked to board flights for vacations they had postponed. Everyone inside the terminal wore masks and followed quarantine rules, but the crowded conditions made it difficult to maintain proper social distancing, creating a worrying scene. At the check-in queue of one airline, staff were busy ensuring people kept their distance and controlling entry.

Concerns have also been raised about social distancing not being properly observed inside aircraft. Due to the cramped interior space of planes, even with seats spaced one apart, people inevitably remain close. A passenger who arrived at Gimpo Airport on a Jeju flight said, "Before and after boarding, crowds gathered at the boarding gate and inside the airplane aisle," adding, "Some people touched their masks with their hands or briefly took them off, which made me feel uneasy throughout the flight."

Like Mr. Lee's family, Mr. Park, who is going on a two-day family trip to Jeju, said, "We originally planned to travel to Europe after my daughter's college entrance exam, but overseas travel is difficult now. I think Jeju is okay as long as we wear masks properly."

◆Jeju is no longer a COVID-19 safe zone= Among domestic travelers, family trips to Jeju stood out. Jeju holds over 70% of the domestic air travel market, making it the largest market. Jeju was known as a "COVID-19 clean area" with fewer cumulative and new cases compared to other regions, making it a popular alternative to overseas travel. However, Jeju is now exposed to COVID-19 risks. On the 19th alone, 22 new cases were reported, with cluster infections increasing. Although the number of airport users has decreased compared to November before social distancing was raised to level 2.5, considering the imminent move to level 3, the perceived volume has increased.

A Jeju Air official said, "Although the numbers are somewhat lower than usual, they are still high," expressing concern that "the numbers are expected to increase further ahead of the year-end and New Year holidays."

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