Residents on Feb. 15 wave to Koreans discharged after spending two weeks in quarantine at a state-run facility of the Police Human Resources Development Institute in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do Province. (Yonhap News)

By Kim Hyelin and Kim Minji

A combined 700 Koreans from Wuhan, China -- the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak --have been discharged after two weeks of quarantine in Korea.

They stayed at state-run facilities of the Police Human Resources Development Institute in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do Province, and the National Human Resources Development Institute in Jincheon-gun County, Chungcheongbuk-do Province.

The number includes 366 (193 who stayed in Asan and 173 in Jincheon-gun) who arrived in Korea from Wuhan via chartered flights on Jan. 31 and another 334 (Asan) who came on Feb. 1. After arriving at Gimpo International Airport, they spent two weeks in quarantine in Asan and Jincheon-gun and were discharged on Feb. 15 and 16.

On their last day of quarantine, they had breakfast, listened to a short program on health education broadcast at their facilities and left on government-provided buses. The COVID-19 tests they took the day before their release also turned out negative.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, Minister of the Interior and Safety Chin Young Government, government officials and residents on Feb. 15 visited Jincheon-gun and Asan to encourage and say goodbye to the 700 as they left their quarantine centers.

kimhyelin211@korea.kr