Seoul calls on countries to refrain from banning entry of foreigners from South Korea

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 7, 2020: A woman in a medical mask walks past a sign reading "I Love Seoul" in Gwanghwamun Square. The Chinese authorities registered an outbreak of the 2019-nCoV coronavirus in Wuhan in December 2019. Stanislav Varivoda/TASS. Sketched by the Pan Pacific Agency.

SEOUL, Feb 26, 2020, TASS. At least 24 countries and territories have imposed restrictions on the entry of foreigners who have been to South Korea, prompting Seoul to call on countries to refrain from such measures, the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) reported on Wednesday, citing a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, TASS reported.

On Tuesday, Hong Kong’s administration banned the entry of foreigners from South Korea amid coronavirus fears. Taiwan’s authorities, in turn, started putting all those arriving from South Korea under a 14-day quarantine. Vietnam has introduced quarantine for those who have been to South Korea’s virus-stricken city of Daegu and the province of Gyeongsangbuk-do.

Amid these developments, the South Korean Foreign Ministry invited diplomats from 103 countries and called for refraining from drastic measures against people arriving from South Korea.

The number of coronavirus cases in South Korea has exceeded 1,140, and 11 patients have died, the country’s authorities said.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. Coronavirus cases have also been reported in more than 35 countries, including Russia.

According to Chinese authorities, about 28,000 people have been infected with the virus in the country. The death toll has passed 2,700, while over 29,700 patients have recovered.

The WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global health emergency and named the virus COVID-19.

Share it


Exclusive: Beyond the Covid-19 world's coverage