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Coronavirus in South Korea: Quarantine violators could face deportation, jail

South Korea warned on Thursday that it will deport foreigners while its citizens could face jail if they violate self-quarantine rules after a surge in imported coronavirus cases. South Korea has tightened entry rules for travelers from countries suffering big outbreaks, subjecting them to two weeks of mandatory quarantine but at least 11 people violated self-quarantine rules between March 13 and 24, the health ministry said. It did not specify their nationalities.
“We will apply zero-tolerance principles in taking action against those who leave their self-isolation venue without legitimate reasons,” Yoon Tae-ho, director-general for public health policy at the health ministry, told a briefing.
“Foreign nationals will be forcibly repatriated and Korean citizens will be reported to police for due penalties and lose financial support provided for those who have faithfully implemented a 14-day quarantine.”
South Koreans who violate the rules could be jailed for up to a year and fined 10 million won ($8,100).
South Korea reported 104 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, with, for the second day in a row, more imported cases than domestic ones, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
That brought its total cases to 9,241, with a new death toll of 142, up from 126.
Of the new cases, 57 had arrived from overseas, 49 of the South Koreans and eight of them foreigners, Yoon said.
Other countries in Asia, including China and Singapore, have also seen sharp increases in imported cases over the past couple of weeks, threatening their largely successful efforts to get domestic epidemics under control.
Many of the people coming back are citizens of those Asian countries who have been studying in Britain and the United States, now leaving as the coronavirus spreads rapidly there and their schools and universities suspend classes.
People arriving in South Korea on long-term visas from Europe must be tested for the virus and spend two weeks in quarantine.
People arriving from the United States will also have to undergo quarantine from Friday, though only people showing symptoms of the coronavirus will be tested.
Nearly 90 percent of the foreigners subject to the rules have signed up for a smartphone application that tracks their movements while in quarantine while some 60 percent of South Koreans have, an interior ministry official said.
The KCDC said it was looking into ways to keep in touch with those who are unable to use the application.
“Up to 90 percent of the overseas arrivals are our citizens and there were many new cases among them,” deputy director Kwon Jun-wook told a separate briefing.
“Travelers please stay home for two weeks upon return and join our efforts to contain the spread of the virus.” levant
source: Reuters levant
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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