‘Deliberate Omission of Contacts Due to False Statements About Movement’

Gimhae-si Files First Complaint Against COVID-19 Epidemiological Investigation Obstructor

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] Gimhae City, Gyeongnam, has filed a complaint against Mr. A for violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act by hiding his movement and not providing accurate information during the epidemiological investigation following the first confirmed case of COVID-19 related to a Busan insurance company, which occurred on December 31 last year.

This is the first time the city has taken legal action for obstructing an epidemiological investigation.

According to the city, during the epidemiological investigation, Mr. A falsely stated that he was at home despite having had a meal with three people, then called Mr. B, who was omitted from his statement, to inform him that he had also tested positive and should get tested.

Mr. B, who received the notification from Mr. A, tested positive, and Mr. A’s false statement was revealed during Mr. B’s epidemiological investigation.

The city plans to strictly enforce legal responsibilities, including filing complaints and claiming compensation for damages against acts that obstruct epidemiological investigations through false statements. It will also focus all administrative efforts on preventing the spread of COVID-19 through thorough quarantine activities such as unannounced checks on self-quarantined individuals, strengthening management of multi-use facilities and blind spots, and conducting preemptive testing for workers and residents of high-risk facilities such as nursing hospitals.

Mayor Heo Seong-gon stated, “We will continue to respond strictly to illegal acts that interfere with COVID-19 quarantine activities. Although it is regrettable that citizens are experiencing many inconveniences due to the extension of social distancing, we ask everyone to strictly follow quarantine rules such as the ban on private gatherings of five or more people to overcome this crisis quickly.”

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