South Korea Quarantine rules during the Covid-19 pandemic: Self Quarantine experiences in South Korea

South Korea Quarantine rules during the Covid-19 pandemic: Self Quarantine experiences in South Korea 

Did you happen to know that you should quarantine yourself for 14 days when you go to South Korea? 

Well, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, even Korean nationals should quarantine for 14 days, regardless of vaccination status. This quarantine rule will be changed at July 1st.  

I want to share the astonishing experience I had so far in South Korea. Many facts might amaze you too.

1. If you are foreign nationals who wants to visit to Korea and do not have any houses where you could stay, you will be quarantined at a designated government facility at your own cost. (The total cost will be about $1,500, KRW 1,680,000). Even though you are Korean nationals but do not have any suitable places like parents' houses or other relative houses, you should stay at a facility for 14 days and pay the cost, too. 

2. Luckily, my parents have their house in South Korea, so, I didn't need to stay at a facility. Even though I could stay at home, it was so hard to quarantine myself for 14 days. 

3.  All foreign passengers and South Korean nationals are required to present a negative PCR covid-19 test result reported within 72 hours of departure. I took PCR tests three times in the United States before I came to South Korea to get the result in 72 hours of departure.

4.When you arrive to Korea, you have to download a quarantine app. You have to record your temperature and health symptoms two times a day through app. Of you don’t fill in the daily forms, you will get a notification or sometimes a call (this annoyed my mom a lot). The app can also identify your location so that you cannot break the quarantine.  

5.You will get self-quarantine care packages, even though you stay at your home. The packs come in huge boxes for each person. They give you so many things for the package, it will take ages to list them! You can just check some out in the attached photos.

6. You should take two more PCR covid-19 tests before the government sets you free.

7. I realized the value of freedom. I was thinking about the balance between individual freedom and public interest and safety. I realized that I can enjoy my freedom when I take my responsibility as a world citizen to consider other people. 

8. There are about 500 covid-19 confirmed cases in South Korea. And the vaccination rate is about 25 percent here.

9. Everyone wears a mask- whether if people are outdoors or indoors. Most citizens wear the KF94 mask which can block at least to 94% of the virus. 

10. There are safety stuffs everywhere. Bus stops, stores, and even public transportation has hand sanitizer for people to use. Many stores also have plastic gloves and a temperature checker