Gov't to support Chinese students amid coronavirus scare

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to provide support measures for Chinese students enrolled in local universities as they are set to return here amid tightened quarantine against the COVID-19 virus, the education ministry said Thursday.

Following a meeting with local education offices, Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae said the ministry plans to roll out support measures, such as providing accommodations to students who cannot return to their dormitories.

The measures also include setting up a hotline between schools and health facilities as well as conducting medical checks and providing health consultation services.

The minister also called for efforts to prevent and stop hate speech towards Chinese students, saying "Chinese students enrolled in Korean students are our students, who are protected by the government and schools."

The move comes as some Chinese students who visited their home country during winter vacation are set to arrive here for the new school year that starts in March.

As part of efforts to curb the outbreak, the ministry has advised universities to delay the new semester by up to four weeks.

As of Thursday, South Korea has reported 28 cases of the novel coronavirus that first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

mlee@yna.co.kr
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