"Tested Positive for COVID-19"… Two 'Illegal Immigrant' Russians Escape from Community Treatment Center During Quarantine

Police Investigating Whereabouts

Living Treatment Center. The photo is not related to any specific part of the article. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Two Russian nationals with illegal residency status, who were confirmed positive for COVID-19 and admitted to a residential treatment center, escaped in the early morning of the 9th. It is understood that they were undergoing deportation procedures after having been criminally punished.

According to Chungbuk Province on the 10th, Russians in their 30s, Mr. A and Mr. B, were confirmed positive for COVID-19 on the 4th and 7th respectively and admitted to the Boeun Residential Treatment Center.

Mr. A, who was recently released from prison, and Mr. B, who was performing labor due to unpaid fines, were waiting for deportation while at the Cheongju Immigration Detention Center when they tested positive.

Although they showed no significant symptoms, it was decided to admit them to the residential treatment center because there were no suitable isolation facilities within the detention center. Their rooms in the residential treatment center were located side by side on the 4th floor.

Then, around 1:30 a.m. on the 9th, Mr. A and Mr. B tore the curtains in their rooms to make a long rope, tied it to the window frame, climbed down, and escaped through the back of the building.

An official from the province stated, "COVID-19 positive patients admitted to the residential treatment center are not allowed to leave their rooms, but it seems Mr. A and Mr. B met outside their rooms and conspired to escape."

Although there are closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) at the back of the building, authorities reportedly failed to detect their escape in time.

The police are currently tracking the whereabouts of Mr. A and Mr. B.

Meanwhile, there are three more foreigners at the residential treatment center awaiting deportation. The Cheongju Immigration Detention Center has decided to take them into custody and isolate them at the detention center.

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