Three International Students from Seoul National University, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and Kyung Hee University Confirmed with Omicron

First Omicron Case Confirmed in Seoul
Attended Same Church Service as Incheon Pastor Couple
HUFS Switches All Classes to Online...Library Capacity Limited
SNU Quarantines Close Contacts, Kyung Hee University Recommends Testing

On the 6th, citizens lined up in front of the temporary COVID-19 screening clinic at Seoul Plaza to get tested. According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of midnight that day, 4,325 new COVID-19 cases were reported. This is the highest number ever recorded based on Sunday occurrences and Monday reporting. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Three international students studying in Seoul have tested positive for the new COVID-19 variant, the Omicron virus. This is the first confirmed case of the Omicron variant in Seoul.

According to Seoul city officials on the 7th, three international students enrolled at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Kyung Hee University, and Seoul National University were confirmed to be infected with the Omicron variant.

It was found that they had visited a church in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, attended by the pastor couple who were the first confirmed Omicron cases in Korea. They attended the same church service as the pastor couple on the 28th of last month and tested positive for COVID-19 on the 3rd. Whole genome sequencing confirmed their infection with the Omicron variant.

With confirmed Omicron cases emerging in Seoul, concerns about the spread of the variant are growing, especially around university campuses. The universities are tracking the movements of the infected students and preparing quarantine measures, but there is still a possibility of additional infections.

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies will switch all classes to online from the 8th to the 14th. Final exams will be conducted in person only for some classes. Until the 11th, the capacity of the library reading rooms visited by the infected students will be limited to 30%. Previously, the university advised students who attended the same classes or used the library to get tested.

Seoul National University has quarantined those classified as close contacts. Since the infected student lived in a dormitory, dormitory residents are required to undergo rapid PCR testing on campus. With more than a week left until the semester break, the university is also considering switching to remote classes. Kyung Hee University confirmed that the infected student lived in a dormitory and plans to recommend COVID-19 testing to students living on the same floor.

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