IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW ENTRANCE REQUIREMENT

[Anchor Lead]

On Wednesday a new requirement for all inbound passengers in Korea took effect mandating them to self-quarantine for two weeks. The number of international flights fell significantly on the first day of the regulation, and authorities were busy all day arranging transportation for arriving passengers to take them home safely.

[Pkg]

A passenger airliner arrives at Incheon International Airport from Taipei. But there are no passengers. Only freight is unloaded. Soon afterwards some 270 passengers arrive from London.

[Soundbite] (INBOUND PASSENGER) : "Everyone is going to Korea now. I decided to hurry, too, before the airports were closed down."

Starting on April 1st, all inbound passengers in Korea are required to self-quarantine for two weeks regardless of whether or not they have symptoms. They must get home in their own personal cars or vehicles arranged by local governments. Each region is using its own transportation means to transport passengers.

[Soundbite] (OFFICIAL FROM ULSAN CITY GOVERNMENT) : "We have rented a bus."

[Soundbite] (OFFICIAL FROM JEOLLANAM-DO PROV. GOVERNMENT) : "Officials are waiting for passengers at Suncheon and Naju stations."

[Soundbite] (OFFICIAL FROM GANGWON-DO PROV. GOVERNMENT) : "We are operating fire trucks to get things going quickly."

Three limousine buses transported passengers between the airport and Gwangmyeong Station all day on Wednesday.

[Soundbite] BAEK SEUNG-YUN(ARRIVED FROM U.K.) : "I had my temperature checked. I don't have any symptoms. I just entered my information into the app and will self-quarantine for 14 days for society."

After purchasing tickets at Gwangmyeong Station, passengers must wait for their train in a designated area. The government has designated separate train cars for those arriving from abroad to prevent other passengers from riding in the same cars. There was some confusion on the first day of the regulation. Drivers transporting foreign passengers had to wait for hours as they didn't know their destinations.

[Soundbite] (BUS DRIVER(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "I haven't received any calls yet. We just arrived. (Didn't they tell you where to go?) No."

Foreigners on short trips who don't have a place to stay are transported to special isolation facilities where they must stay for two weeks for 1.4 million won per person. Most of those who arrived from overseas on Wednesday installed self-isolation apps on their mobile phones and are being monitored by officials from local governments.

[Soundbite] BAEK JONG-HYUN(PAN-GOVERNMENTAL RESPONSE HEADQUARTERS) : "Using the self-quarantine app each official can monitor up to 30 people at once. Many local governments are using this method."

Quarantine authorities are urging people in self-quarantine to comply with the rules as monitoring each of them is a challenge given their surging numbers.