The government has adopted a zero tolerance policy for travelers who fail to follow self-quarantine steps after entering South Korea.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s Director for Safety Communication Park Jong-hyun announced the tougher stance in a regular briefing on Thursday. Park said South Korean nationals who go AWOL from self-quarantine after returning from abroad will not receive any related government financial support.
He added that police will be mobilized to go after violators and hand out corresponding penalties.
As for foreigners who break self-quarantine, Park said they will be deported.
Based on the zero tolerance policy, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters plans to immediately file complaints against any person who violates self-quarantine guidelines.
The government’s latest move comes after a number of people broke self-quarantine directives and left their homes to meet with others, go shopping or even go to their workplaces.