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The ticket counter of Turkish Airlines at Incheon International Airport remains closed on Mar. 2, as Turkey as currently banned entry for all travelers arriving from South Korea. (Yonhap News)

The number of countries and territories restricting arrivals from South Korea amid its novel coronavirus outbreak rose to 82 as of Mar. 2. Thirty-six countries and territories are either outright banning or temporarily preventing arrivals from South Korea, while another 46, including China, are permitting arrivals but have implemented intensified quarantine and other disease prevention measures. Russia and New Zealand joined the list of countries with intensified entry procedures.

Russia’s Sakhalin Island has introduced medical screening and questionnaires for foreign nationals who have recently been in South Korea, Japan, or China, with those showing symptoms to be treated in quarantine facilities for 21 days. A 14-day self-quarantine period has been instituted even for those without symptoms. New Zealand announced the same day that it was instituting a 14-day home quarantine period for foreign nationals who had visited South Korea or Italy within 14 days prior to their arrival in the country.

In China, 14 provinces and cities have implemented intensified entry procedures. The measures differ among local governments, with Shanghai requiring a 14-day home quarantine period for Chinese and foreign nationals arriving from Daegu or North Gyeongsang Province, while Heilongjiang Province is isolating Chinese and foreign nationals arriving from South Korea for 14 days at designated hotels.

Meanwhile, China’s General Administration of Customs and National Immigration Administration announced during a Mar. 2 press conference on the State Council’s coronavirus prevention measures, including mandatory medical screening for those arriving from countries with severe coronavirus outbreaks as well as quarantine for those exhibiting symptoms.

The announcement could be seen as signaling that the intensified entry procedures previously implemented at the local government level are to be introduced at the central government level going forward.

In response, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said, “Our understanding is that in the Mar. 1 briefing on the State Council joint disease control measures, China explained that it will be implementing disease control measures by region based on local communities’ different needs, and that this would be applied equally to Chinese and foreign nationals.”

MOFA went on to say, “As mentioned in the briefing, China’s related measures currently appear to be taking place at the local [government] level, but MOFA plans to observe the situation and communicate closely with China’s central and presiding local governments to continue developing the necessary measures to ensure the safety and convenience of South Korean citizens.”

The US has yet to impose entry restrictions on travelers arriving from South Korea, but on Mar. 1 President Donald Trump announced plans for medical screening for travelers arriving from high-risk regions following their entry into the US in addition to their departure from the country in question. In response, a MOFA senior official said, “We are discussing matters closely with the US and do not have anything specific to report yet.”

MOFA has announced that it is communicating Seoul’s disease prevention efforts to overseas governments in order to persuade them not to impose “excessive” measures such as entry bans. But as South Korea’s coronavirus outbreak continues to worsen, the list of countries restricting or barring entry to travelers arriving from South Korea has sextupled over the space of a week. Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha followed up a telephone conversation with her United Arab Emirates counterpart on Mar. 1 with additional pleas the following day for the Canadian and Maldivian foreign ministers to refrain from excessive measures.

In an unofficial briefing on Mar. 2, a senior MOFA official said, “We could see a few more countries added, but it looks for the most part like all the countries that might [impose entry bans or restrictions] have already done so.”

“If we can just achieve fast results with our disease control strategy and show that South Korea is responding well to the coronavirus, the restriction measures that are in place now could be lifted in short order,” the official predicted.

By Park Min-hee, staff reporter

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