There’s a very interesting and informative blog which has just surfaced in the last few days as the author has been stationed in quarantine along with three dozen other English teachers who may have come in contact with the H1N1 virus via way of Japan. The South Korean Government has been very thorough in finding and quarantining any foreign nationals who may have come in contact with individuals who have contracted the disease. The Ministry of Education has ordered every education office to provide lists of any foreign instructors who entered the country after May 11 and to inform them by 5pm today on any individuals displaying flu-like symptoms. The local media has been quick to latch onto this with much resultant paranoia surrounding disease-laden foreign English teachers.
Sure, I’m glad the Korean Government is being proactive in targeting this disease and ensuring that it doesn’t spread throughout the country. But, correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m fairly certain H1N1 doesn’t discriminate upon racial, cultural, ethnic groups so why exactly is the Korean Government taking such a proactive stance towards foreign nationals who may or may not have been exposed to the disease since the post-May11th period whereas the 50 to 100 times more Korean nationals who have entered the country during the same time period are being treated far more leniently? Far be it from me to say the dirty X word again … xenophobia.
Check out the blog at English Teacher in Quarantine in South Korea, and ZenKimchi at Hub of Sparkle’s encounter with H1N1 xenophobic wacky. Brian’s blog also contains more information on the sudden largely xenophobic hysteria sweeping Korea over H1N1.
Good point! Thanks!