Kim Gang-lip, vice director of the Central Disaster Management Headquarters, on Feb. 18 tells a daily briefing at Government Complex-Sejong that Korean passengers on the COVID-19-infected cruise ship in Japan will be repatriated. (Yonhap News)

By Kim Eun-young and Kim Hwaya

The government on Feb. 18 will repatriate Korean passengers on the COVID-19-stricken Japanese cruise ship Diamond Princess. 

Kim Gang-lip, vice director of the Central Disaster Management Headquarters, told a daily briefing at Government Complex-Sejong, "We decided to repatriate Korean passengers on the cruise ship docked at Japan's Yokohama Port and send the presidential plane Korean Air Force 3 (to get them)."

The plane departed from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do Province, in the afternoon the same day and will land at Gimpo International Airport on the morning of Feb. 19. Among the 14 Koreans to be repatriated are four Koreans who wish to return home and the Japanese spouse of a Korean national.

Korean Air Force No.3, a presidential jet, on Feb. 18 departed for Japan to repatriate Koreans on board a COVID-19-stricken cruise ship docked at Yokohama Port. (Central Epidemic Control Countermeasure Headquarters)

The passengers will be tested for COVID-19 by the KCDC and then transferred to a hospital if they show any symptoms. They will spend two weeks at the quarantine station of Incheon International Airport.

Kim said, "Taking care of our people who are in difficult situations abroad is the nation's basic duty," adding, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will give the necessary consular support to all Koreans who have yet to return home."

eykim86@korea.kr