Health workers performing disinfection work at a shopping center in Daejeon City, South Korea. Example image, Source: Internet

The Vietnamese Embassy in South Korea said that about 200,000 Vietnamese citizens are currently living, studying and working in South Korea. Particularly in Daegu city, there are 8,285 people. In Gyeongsangbuk province, there are 18,502 people (of which, there are 333 people in Cheongdo district).

Under the direction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy has opened a citizen protection switchboard at +82 106 315 6618, available 24 hours a day, ready to take measures to support and protect citizens in case of need. Vietnam’s Division of Labor Administration in South Korea also published a support phone number of +82 103 248 6886 for Vietnamese workers to contact when they need assistance.

The Embassy has proactively set up communication channels with community focal points in the epidemic areas to regularly update the situation and timely support citizens. At the same time, they contacted and visited Vietnamese citizens living in the affected area, they also encouraged and asked people to strictly follow the recommendations of the local governments.

Through the situation, the Embassy of Vietnam in South Korea told us that until now, the health status of the Vietnamese community in South Korea has been stable, no cases of COVID-19 infection or suspicion have been detected.

Previously, on February 21, 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Vietnam in South Korea announced that Vietnamese citizens should not go to the affected areas and may be affected by the epidemic that Korean authorities recommend; regularly monitor and follow the instructions of the local authorities to prevent disease.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs requests the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health to coordinate in directing international student counseling companies to inform the situation of COVID-19 epidemic to workers or international students planning to come to South Korea in the near future to take preventive measures; regularly keep in close contact with stakeholders (schools, employers, local brokerage companies, etc.) in order to understand the situation and take measures to support Vietnamese students and workers in South Korea.

For South Korea, it is recommended to take measures to ensure health, security, safety and support for Vietnamese citizens in Korea, especially in epidemic areas.

For assistance in case of need, Vietnamese citizens please contact the Embassy of Vietnam in South Korea at +82 106 315 6618 or the citizen protection switchboard at +84 981 84 84 84./.