STRENGTHENED CORONAVIRUS QUARANTINE

[Anchor Lead]

With the growing number of infections of a new type of coronavirus, tensions are rising worldwide. Airports and sea ports in Korea are also on high alert especially ahead of the Chinese New Year festival when a large number of Chinese people travel overseas. Passenger quarantine and fumigation efforts have been stepped up.

[Pkg]

[Soundbite] "May we have your attention please. There's been an outbreak of a new coronavirus."

Visitors from China go through a quarantine station at the airport. Inspectors closely monitor the thermal image to see if any of them are showing signs of fever. Passengers on flights coming in from the Chinese city of Wuhan are more thoroughly checked with every single person getting their temperature measured.

[Soundbite] KIM GI-BEOM(PASSENGER ON FLIGHT FROM WUHAN) : "I took a Chinese airline so obviously, there were many Chinese passengers. I wore a mask all the way from the airport in China."

Normally, it takes about 15 minutes for passengers to claim their baggage and exit the terminal. But the temperature checks have added an extra 50 minutes. Incheon International Airport also expanded its weekly sterilization routine to twice a week. Every nook and cranny is being sprayed including floors, under the chairs and even the walkway tunnel connecting the flights.

[Soundbite] KIM UI-JOO(INCHEON INT'L AIRPORT) : "A virus can travel everywhere including places not easily visible to the naked eye. That's why we are conducting quarantine efforts as thoroughly as possible."

However, tensions persist as 30-thousand people arrive from China daily and the Lunar New Year holiday is just around the corner. Incheon Port, which records one million arrivals from China per year, is also on high alert. Thermal imaging cameras are essential tools here. Flyers with detailed information and guidelines regarding the new coronavirus are handed out to incoming visitors. Airports and sea ports will activate an emergency quarantine system around the clock throughout the lunar New Year holiday.