30,000 Chinese come to South Korea Everyday…Moon, Instead of Banning Entry, Emphasizes “Let’s Share the Suffering”

2020-02-23, NewDaily [translation]

Citizens’ Petition to Prohibit Chinese Entry:  668,005 as of February 3

On February 3, 2020, President Moon Jae-in expressed his willingness to help China, where the epicenter of the Wuhan Virus is, saying “We must spare no effort in providing support and cooperation as a neighboring country.”  He said it while about 30,000 Chinese a day visit South Korea, and the risk of infection spreads. President Moon’s conciliatory approach has been criticized for going beyond walking on eggshells, and showing “submissive diplomacy” to China.

At a meeting of senior aides at the Blue House on February 3 that President Moon presided over, he said “China is our largest human exchange and the largest trading partner.  China’s suffering is linked to our suffering” and emphasized, “Only when we don’t ignore, but share our neighbor’s suffering and band together, are we a genuine neighbor and can we go together toward the future.”

Health and medical experts such as Chung Ki-hyun (정기현), the head of the National Medical Center, advised President Moon the day before “First of all, it’s important to reduce the inflow of patients into Korea, so that our medical capacity can manage the situation,” but Moon did not mention the need to prohibit the entry of Chinese.

[Truncated]

Chinese Ambassador to South Korea:  “South Korea, don’t ban entry.” Did his threat work?

President Moon’s prioritization of diplomacy with China over bold responses, such as a ban on Chinese entry, does not seem to be unrelated to China’s recent pressure.  China’s ambassador Xin Haiming insisted on February 1 that he “expects [South Korea] to make a decision consistent with the World Health Organization (WHO) rules against restricting travel and trade with China.”  

In the end, the government restricted only Hubei Province, China and plans to prohibit the entry of foreigners who have visited or stayed in [Hubei Province] within 14 days.

However, the Wuhan Pneumonia is widespread not only in Hubei Province, but also throughout China.  Hundreds of people are confirmed infected in Zhejiang, Guangdong, Henan, Hunan, Anhui, and Jiangxi Provinces and Chongqing City, etc . The petition to ban Chinese entry on the Blue House bulletin board since last month has exceeded 668,000 as of this afternoon.  Twenty countries, including the United States, Australia, Mongolia, Singapore and Italy have banned Chinese entry.

Min Kyung-wook (민경욱), Liberty Korea Party, criticized on Facebook that day, “How arrogant of the Chinese ambassador [to tell us] what to do regarding the Chinese entry ban?”… “If it is dangerous for our citizens, then we’ll decide on the entry ban.  Just because Moon Jae-in is intimidated and likened [China] to the highest mountain peak and South Korea as a small country, [does he think South Korea is] a push over? So big headed.”

Shim Jae-cheol (심재철), Liberty Korea Party’s representative, told the party conference, “It’s not enough to restrict the visitors from Hubei  Province only. The spreading of infections can’t be prevented that way, and it does not resolve the citizens’ anxiety. It’s only a drop in a bucket measure, while overly concerned about China’s reaction…Until the Wuhan Pneumonia situation stabilizes, I urge the government to place a temporary Chinese entry ban right away.”

Source:  http://www.newdaily.co.kr/site/data/html/2020/02/03/2020020300160.html