Some 100 S. Koreans to return home from coronavirus-hit Morocco
SEOUL, April 3 (Yonhap) -- About 100 South Koreans were set to return home from coronavirus-hit Morocco on Friday on a special flight that the North African nation arranged to transport medical items from South Korea.
Morocco had originally planned to send a cargo plane to South Korea to pick up the medical supplies related to COVID-19, but King Mohammed VI agreed to switch to a passenger jet at Seoul's request so as to help South Koreans in the country return home, officials said.
The Royal Air Maroc plane carrying 105 people, including volunteers from the state aid agency KOICA, took off from Casablanca on Thursday (Morocco time) and is due to land at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, around 11 a.m., South Korea's foreign ministry said.
In recent phone talks between the top diplomats of the two countries, they agreed to use the special flight to bring the Koreans home and send the medical equipment to Morocco.
The passengers will undergo health screening upon arrival under toughened quarantine measures for all international arrivals. They are also required to self-isolate for two weeks.
Morocco has declared a health emergency and restricted the movement of people and vehicles to prevent the spread of the virus. It has reported more than 700 infections and at least 44 deaths.
More than 4,200 South Korean nationals have returned home from 31 countries amid the virus pandemic. About 500 Koreans returned from Italy earlier this week.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
-
Number of peak concurrent viewers on BTS online event surpasses 2.7 mln: agency
-
BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' extends longest streak on Billboard 200 by K-pop group to 60 weeks
-
Vaccine supply glitch threatening to take inoculation scheme off track
-
U.S. keeps S. Korea on list of countries to monitor for currency practices
-
Hyundai Motor, BTS collaborate for Earth Day campaign
-
Number of peak concurrent viewers on BTS online event surpasses 2.7 mln: agency
-
(LEAD) SHINee's Taemin to join military next month
-
Biden-Moon summit to highlight importance of U.S.-Korea relationship: Psaki
-
Women suffer greater employment shock than men amid pandemic: report
-
Piano is 'first love' of celebrated conductor Chung Myung-whun
-
BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' extends longest streak on Billboard 200 by K-pop group to 60 weeks
-
S. Korea to invest 114 tln won by 2030 to expand railway network
-
City of Seoul seizes cryptocurrencies from tax delinquents
-
(LEAD) New COVID-19 infections nearing 800, rising untraceable cases portend further spike
-
N. Korea seeking to defeat U.S. missile defenses: CRS report