On the morning of the 14th, citizens and foreign workers in Gyeonggi Province are standing in a long line at the temporary screening clinic for coronavirus infection (Corona 19) installed in the plaza of Suwon Station in Gyeonggi Province. yunhap news
Regarding the mandatory diagnostic test for the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) for foreign workers who have recently been controversial against discrimination, the Seoul Metropolitan Government explained that it is “measures to prevent the safety and health of foreigners and infection in the local community.” They also said that they would increase the operating hours so that no crowds would be crowded at the screening test center.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is implementing an administrative order for foreign worker diagnostic tests on the 17th and 31st of this month. During this period, all foreign workers, including undocumented workers, must undergo inspection. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the proportion of foreigners among confirmed patients in Seoul from January to March was 6.3%, nearly three times that of November to December last year (2.2%).
Park Yoo-mi, head of the city’s Citizen Health Bureau on the 18th, at a Corona 19 briefing, said, “There is a concern that more than 100 people have recently been infected in Dongducheon and Namyangju in the metropolitan area and spread to Seoul.” As they go back to work, they show a pattern of group infection,” he revealed the background of the mandatory test. It was also considered that undocumented foreign workers were vulnerable to quarantine, such as difficulties in determining the actual situation.
He added, “In the past, we have been ordered to perform tests for unspecified people with high risk for quarantine.” “It is not an executive order that discriminates against foreign workers only. Director Park added that it is a preemptive measure to prevent the 4th pandemic by ensuring the health of foreign workers and the safety of the workplace, and preventing infection in the local community.
On the 15th, the city of Busan installed and operated a temporary screening and inspection center for moving construction sites for foreigners in the redevelopment area of Oncheon 2, Dongnae-gu, Busan. Foreign construction workers are being tested for Corona 19. By the 17th, preemptive inspections will be conducted on 1,028 workers at 19 large-scale public and private construction sites in Busan. Reporter Song Bong-geun
Foreign white-collar workers are also eligible
The targets of this executive order are foreign workers and foreign employers employing foreign workers. This includes not only production workers, but also white-collar workers working in large companies. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, foreign employers who do not employ foreign employees are not eligible. Director Park said, “There is no legal basis for fines or fines for employers for not being tested, but if a group infection occurs in a workplace that has not been tested, we will request reimbursement from the employer.”
As of the end of last year, the number of foreign workers identified by the Ministry of Justice was about 60,000. On the 17th, the first day of enforcement of the administrative order, 4139 foreign workers were inspected at the Temporary Screening Inspection Office. On this day, Director Park agreed that improvement is necessary for the group accommodation facilities for foreign workers, and said, “The Central Accident Response Headquarters and related ministries are making plans, and that the Seoul Metropolitan Government will work together.”
Corona 19 cumulative confirmed cases. Graphic = Younghee Kim [email protected]
In addition, countermeasures have been put in place for situations in which foreign workers are congested and distance from the inspection center is not well maintained. Temporary screening and inspection offices in Guro-gu, Geumcheon-gu, and Yeongdeungpo-gu, which are areas where foreign workers are concentrated, are extended from 9 am to 5 pm, including Sundays. Starting on the 19th, the’Visit Screening Clinic’ will be additionally operated in Gurori Park, and other autonomous districts are also preparing a plan for examination. It also conducts’preemptive inspections for small groups on the go’.
During the administrative order period, the Seoul Metropolitan Government operates interpretation services at three foreign support facilities, including the Seoul Global Center, and provides 24-hour interpretation support at call centers at national institutions such as the Danuri Call Center (1577-1366) and the General Information Center for Foreigners (1345). Both the diagnostic test fee and the treatment fee at the time of confirmation are free, and anonymous tests are also possible.
As of 0 o’clock on that day, 124 new confirmed cases of Corona 19 in Seoul were confirmed by 12 people related to golf clubs and 16 other acquaintances.
Reporter Choi Eun-kyung [email protected]
