A Chinese woman who recently visited Jeju Island was confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus.
Uneasiness is growing among island residents even if the province is assuming that she was infected in her country.
Seoul has decided to suspend the visa waiver program in Jeju for the time being, as the program is viewed as a loophole.
Todd Thacker reports.

Health officials have confirmed that a Chinese woman in her fifties who visited Jeju late last month was infected with the coronavirus.

[slug] Returned to China on Jan. 25 -> showed signs of fever on Jan. 26 -> infection confirmed on Jan. 30
She returned to China on January 25th, and started to show symptoms of fever the next day. Her diagnosis was confirmed on the 30th.
She arrived on a Spring Airlines flight and spent 4 nights and 5 days traveling with her daughter.
She allegedly was not symptomatic while on Jeju.
Provincial officials think that she was infected prior to her arrival here.

Recording
Bae Jong-myeong / Representative, Jeju Province
She passed the quarantine temperature test at the airport in China. After returning home on Jan. 26, she started to show symptoms of fever.
<녹취: 배종면 제주감염병관리지원단장>
"중국에 들어갈때도 검역을 하니까 발열 체크했을 때 음성이니까 귀가하셨고 그때부터 열이 나기 시작했으니까 결국 26일 전까지는 증상이 없었다라고 믿을수 있는 근거가 되겠습니다"

Officials think that she had the virus during the incubation period and are tracking her travel itinerary.
[slug] 5 hotel employees under quarantine
Five employees of the hotel she stayed at are being closely monitored and are currently under quarantine at home.
The province is tracing her itinerary and taking proper measures given the incubation period.

Recording
Lee Jung-hwan / Representative, Jeju Province
We are closely monitoring her and taking proper measures. We are also identifying local coffee houses, restaurants and any transportation she used and will investigate further.
<녹취:이중환 제주도 도민안전실장 >
"집중관찰 대상자로 정해서 관리할 필요가 있다 판단해서 조치하고 있고 추가로 커피숍, 식당, 이동수단들에 대해서도 상세한 조사를 진행하고 있습니다.”

[slug] Briefing session on coronavirus at Provincial Office
Meanwhile, Governor Won Heeryong has asked Seoul to temporarily suspend the visa waiver program in Jeju, as it is seen as a weakness in measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Recording
Won Hee-ryong / Governor
I’d like to officially propose temporarily banning entry of Chinese to the island, along with a suspension of the visa waiver program for Chinese nationals which was proposed earlier.
<싱크 : 원희룡 / 제주도지사>
"중국인에 대하여 입국 일시 금지 조치를 즉각 취해줄 것을 공식 건의합니다. 아울러 제주도가 이미 건의한 바 있는 중국인을 대상으로 한 무비자의 일시 중지 조치도 조속히 (취해주길 건의합니다.)"

[slug] Special meeting on preventive measures convened at Government Complex-Seoul
Prime Minister (정세균) Chung Sye-kyun, who chaired a special meeting on the matter, decided to temporarily suspend the visa waiver program.
[slug] Visa waiver no longer in effect from Tuesday
Foreigners who visited Hubei will not be allowed to enter Korea
His office will also ban the entry of foreign nationals who have visited Hubei, China in the last 14 days beginning midnight on February 4th.

Recording
Chung Sye-kyun / Prime Minister
We are temporarily suspending the visa waiver program as laid out in the Jeju Special Act. Any possible routes of contagion must be contained.
<싱크 : 정세균 / 국무총리>
"제주특별법에 따른 무사증 입국 제도를 일시 중단하겠습니다. 지역 사회 내 바이러스가 확산될 수 있는 경로를 더 촘촘히 차단해야 합니다."

Todd Thacker
Ko Moon-su
In order to limit the spread of the coronavirus, Jeju Island will be barring the entry of Chinese nationals for the foreseeable future.

Todd Thacker, KCTV