As the number of coronavirus cases rises on the cruise ship quarantined in Yokohama, Japan, Seoul has temporarily banned all cruise ships from entering the country.
Local health authorities have expressed relief.
However, the news is another blow to the tourism industry which is already struggling due to the ongoing crisis.
Mike Balfour reports.

The number of coronavirus cases on the cruise ship quarantined in Yokohama, Japan has exceeded 170. As of Wednesday the number of confirmed cases stood at 175.

[slug] International cruises banned from entering Korea

Seoul has temporarily banned all international cruise ships from entering the country.

[slug] Local health authorities express relief
Both the Port of Jeju and the (강정) Gangjeong Port Complex are included in the measure.
Local health authorities are relieved of the possible virus inflow by an international passenger.
Meanwhile, the tourism industry is being dealt a harsh blow by the coronavirus outbreak.

[slug] 495 cruise ship arrivals had been planned for Jeju in 2020

495 international cruise ship arrivals had been planned at the two local ports this year.

[slug] Welcoming more cruise ships had been expected

Among them, about 460 cruises were to depart from China.
Jeju dockings had been canceled in the aftermath of the THAAD deployment on the peninsula. However, there had been growing expectations of welcoming more cruise ships as the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, plans to visit Korea during the first half of this year.

[slug] Cruise passengers' spending on local community to be zero

Those expectations have been totally shattered by the entry ban.
That means that potential cruise passengers' spending in the local community will be zero for the time being.
Cruise ships that used to dock at the island two or three times a month won't deliver any passengers to Jeju.

INTERVIEW
Gang Gyeong-taek / Representative, Province
There were expectations that cruise ships could resume docking at the island. The tourism industry was ready to welcome international cruise passengers. But the coronavirus outbreak has temporarily suspended their entry.
<인터뷰 : 강경택/제주도 크루즈해양레저팀장>
"중국발 크루즈가 재개된다는 기대감도 있었고 관련업계에서도 이에 따라 준비를 하려고 했는데 갑자기 코로나 바이러스 사태로 중국발이 당분간은 입항하기 곤란한 상태가 계속 이어질 것 같습니다."

[slug] No cruise ship enters this year

This year, the island hasn't welcomed any cruise ships.

[slug] Feb.24 entry of cruise ship from Japan canceled

The entry of a cruise ship departing Japan on February 24 has been canceled.
Entry of three cruise ships planned for March are also expected to be affected by the entry ban.

[Reporter] Mike Balfour
[Camera] Ko Moon-su, Kim Seong-cheol

For the duration of the coronavirus outbreak, the cessation of international cruise passengers to Jeju will significantly harm the local tourism industry.

Mike Balfour, KCTV