1/ I thought I'd write about my experience re-entering South Korea, where I reside, during this global pandemic. It wasn't a 5 minute job like in London Heathrow where I was out in no time. Instead, it took 24 hours. Here's what happened:
2/ During flight, needed to fill out multiple forms incl. quarantine papers. Upon arrival in Incheon, immediate body temperature scan. As I was coming from the UK, quarantine official already had my name on list of a handful of people from hotspot UK/South Africa. Given lanyard.
3/ Next, I was told to throw away my KF-94 mask that I was wearing, replace it with their own even tighter twin strap 3M KF-95 mask, and made to wait to get tested for Covid-19 even though I already had a negative certificate. Test was carried out on the freezing windy tarmac.
4/ We were then taken to another waiting area with separate seating. Made to fill out more papers.
5/ Then went through immigration. Made to install quarantine app on phone, which includes entering passport number and valid telephone number. An official then called the phone number entered on the app to check it was real. More on app later. Violators of rules face deportation.
6/ Once through immigration, where they *also* checked my negative PCR test already done 2 days in the UK, we were escorted to collect our luggage. At all times, all officials were in full PPE.
7/ Next, we were escorted to a bus provided by emergency services.
8/ Arriving at the Incheon National Quarantine Facility Station, we were escorted to a waiting area, given a separate booth each, told to wait until test results came out at least 6 hours later.
9/ Aside from eating, masks to be worn at all times. Given dinner box a few hours later. Wasn't quite the countdown to 2021 I was expecting but people exclaimed happy new year at midnight.
10/ Towards 2 AM (9 hours later approx), people started receiving text messages saying their test results were negative. In fact, an official said that all those in the room were negative, but that some people incl. me had to have swabs re-examined (because from UK?).
11/ About five of us were then taken downstairs towards 4 AM, and isolated into individual negative pressure rooms (that basically prevent any potential virus from escaping, constantly sucking the air inside). Not a hotel, but can't complain.
12/ PPE dude comes in to check my temperature, and told me to wait another 10 hours until results come out. Finally some sleep after 36 hours.
13/ Breakfast was delivered at towards 7:30 AM on the table between the doors of the chamber. On the menu: egg mayo ham toast and diet banana milk. Actually my favourites!
14/ Then lunch arrived at midday, this dosirak lunchbox, again, delivered between the doors.
15/ Finally got the all clear negative result after lunch, told to wait for the nurse to come collect me. Given gloves, and made our way out back into a bus provided by emergency services. Escorted back to airport.
16/ Police were waiting for us at the airport, took the register of all those who had left quarantine, then brought us back into the airport in order to make arrangements to go back home for self-isolation. Assigned a taxi.
17/ Not just any taxi, a "quarantine taxi" separating the driver from passenger. Taken to doorstep. Cost 80,000 won, but little other choice (there's a "bus" service which is cheaper, but was not available and is less frequent).
From touchdown to home took well over 24 hours.
18/ Finally at home, was made to call local health centre to explain I had arrived and had already been tested. Those who are less at risk can leave airport and get tested in their local areas. Different people, different circumstances, different requirements.
19/ Regarding the quarantine app, need to diagnose oneself and enter results daily. I've heard stories of officials chasing you over the phone if you fail to enter data. Meanwhile, I'm stuck at home for 14 days. Cannot leave under any circumstance. Food/grocery deliveries fine.
20/ A reason for writing this thread is because I was appalled by the level of incompetence in the UK when I flew in a few weeks ago. Coming from "safe zone" S. Korea, I didn't need to self-isolate. Yet the flight back to the UK via Dubai was packed with maskless passengers.
21/ At Heathrow Airport, masses of people were all over the place without masks, *including* airport staff. Those who were wearing masks had them under their noses. Baggage collection was messy and a massive virus hazard. Felt vulnerable.
22/ 24 hours to get back home in S. Korea, even though a resident, were a little annoying given the lack of sleep etc, but I can't complain. It's necessary process to fight this virus.
Yet I see so many people and governments who are still clueless, namely the UK.
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1/ Shocking new testimonies reveal systematic torture-like abuse at Georgia ICE facility on Korean workers: pregnant woman fearing for unborn child, handcuff burns, forced medical injections without consent, and staff neglecting workers having seizures and medical collapses.
2/ Yonhap News TV obtained exclusive photos showing a Korean worker's wrist from the Georgia detention facility. The images reveal clear red burn marks caused by handcuffs/cable ties. Worker testified that "quite a few people" suffered similar injuries. yonhapnewstv.co.kr/news/MYH202509…
3/ Testimonies also reveal forced medical procedures. One worker claims that during health checks before formal facility admission, despite refusing all tests, facility staff forcibly administered a tuberculosis injection against their will.
1/ A repatriated Korean worker from the Hyundai-LG battery factory secretly wrote a detention diary about their 7-day experience in ICE custody in Georgia. The worker says ICE officers mocked them with words like as "North Korea" and "Rocket Man" despite holding a business visa.
2/ The worker held a B1 visa for a 2-month work meetings and training trip. They were body-searched while wearing hard hat and safety boots at 10am on 4 September. ICE gave arrest warrant forms at 1:20pm with no explanation and no Miranda rights were read.
3/ "The workers thought that completing the forms would lead to release," the worker wrote, which was shared with Yonhap News. Red wristbands were placed on workers after they submitted forms. They secretly messaged his family saying "contact might be cut off".
1/ UPDATE regarding Google's Korean map saga: Google announced today it will remove latitude/longitude coordinates for ALL *South Korean* locations from Google Maps globally IF granted mapping data permission from the Korean gov. Not just sensitive sites but the entire territory.
2/ This goes far beyond Google's previous offer to blur sensitive facilities. The transport ministry has confirmed to me that they did indeed make this request for "national security" reasons but did not elaborate on the specifics. theguardian.com/world/2025/aug…
3/ It remains unclear what this will mean in the long run for users. While right-clicking and displaying coordinates is not a core functionality for most, it could possibly complicate third-party app dev, OSINT, etc.
Would be curious to hear from others what this would mean!
1/ S. Korea's entire media establishment across political spectrum has united in unprecedented editorial consensus expressing profound betrayal, outrage, national humiliation, and fundamental breach of US-ROK alliance re: mass arrest of Korean workers at Hyundai's Georgia plant.
2/ The general sentiment: while Korean media occasionally unite on domestic issues, these are usually severely politicised. Here, the level of scorn spanning from conservative establishment to progressive outlets is extraordinarily rare. They are furious.
3/ Chosun Ilbo (flagship conservative): Scathing language calling this a "merciless arrest operation" that represents something "that cannot happen between allies" and a "breach of trust." Notes Trump personally thanked Hyundai's chairman just months ago. chosun.com/opinion/editor…
1/ Something that's not being reported much re: ICE crackdown at Hyundai-LG Georgia battery factory: Korean companies investing billions cannot get proper visas, are then criminalised for bringing skilled workers to fill gaps American labour cannot.
Chosun Ilbo: "Built tens of trillions [KRW] factories for America... to then get slapped as illegal immigrants."
News1: "Told us to invest, then treated us as illegal immigrants." This isn't about law, it's about perceived duplicity.
3/ One of the core issues is that S. Korea has no country-reserved work visa. By contrast, Australia for instance gets E-3 (10,500/year) and Singapore/Chile get H-1B1 (5,400/1,400). Korea has neither, despite FTA status and massive investment commitments. koreatimes.co.kr/business/compa…
US authorities have reportedly detained 450 workers at Hyundai-LG battery plant construction site in Georgia yesterday, including over 30 South Koreans said to have legitimate visas. Seoul has expressed concern and says Korean nationals' rights "must not be unjustly violated."
The detained South Koreans at the Ellabell facility are said to be on B1 business visas or ESTA waivers for meetings and contracts. Foreign Ministry has dispatched consuls to the scene and "conveyed concerns and regrets" to the US embassy in Seoul. en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN202509…
Both Hyundai and LG Energy Solution are said to be "actively cooperating with authorities" to secure staff release. The raid raises concerns about potential disruptions to other major Korean projects including Hyundai's planned Louisiana steel mill and Georgia EV expansion.