Filipinos in Korea advised to comply with advisories from Health officials
MANILA – Immediately after South Korean President Mon Jae-in said the country was facing a “grave turning point” after 169 new cases of coronavirus and four new deaths, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) through the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, called on Filipino nationals in South Korea to monitor and comply with the advisories from health authorities and cooperate with efforts to stop the further spread of the 2019 novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
In a statement released at 6:41 P.M. Sunday, the DFA said while there is no travel ban imposed on Filipinos traveling to South Korea, travelers have been counseled to delay non-essential travel to the country as a precaution.
During emergency situations, Filipinos in South Korea may contact the emergency hotline of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul (+82) 109263-8119.
Should there be Filipinos in South Korea experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, they should immediately contact the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention(KCDC) at 1339.
The Embassy has not received information of Filipinos in South Korea infected by COVID-19 but closely monitors the situation and coordinates with the Filipino community to ensure their safety and well-being.
The DFA, in their report to Congress in June 2019, said there are about 60,139 Filipinos in South Korea.
According to the latest information from the Korea Immigration Service (KIS), as relayed by the Philippine Embassy, there are 1,681 Filipinos in Daegu, 2,608 Filipinos in North Gyeongsan Province as of September 2019 while 4,289 Filipinos reside in the most affected areas. (Melo M. Acuña)