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“We live normally, we only wear masks,” this is how Yordana Stoyanova describes the situation in South Korea today.
The Asian country registered the first case of coronavirus on January 20, and on March 1 the number of new infections exceeded 1000. Since then, however, the spread of the virus is under control and new outbreaks react immediately, he writes DW.
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Jordan has lived in Seoul for two years. You are about to graduate in International Relations. He has not yet decided where his life will continue after that. “If I find a job here, I will stay. After all, Seoul is a city of 10 million people that offers many opportunities.”
How do they do it?
With its 50 million inhabitants, South Korea is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. However, in recent weeks, new COVID-19 cases have not exceeded 200 per day. How do they do it? “Very strict measures were put in place from the beginning,” Jordan said. In addition, people provide information to the authorities. And the institutions control all citizens: who went where and when. Tracking the chains of infection has helped a lot to isolate patients, “he added.
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The comparison with Europe is immediately obvious here, where many would not agree to provide the authorities with information about his whereabouts. Jordan recognizes these cultural peculiarities and says of the notorious Asian collectivism: “It is not difficult to adapt if one shows understanding for a different culture.”
Other details also help to quickly control the coronavirus. One of them is digitization. “A mobile application is used here. Most establishments scan the barcode and as soon as an infection is found, the authorities can contact you immediately,” explains Yordana. We also asked him about masks, this very controversial topic in Bulgaria. “Here everyone wears a mask non-stop. Absolutely everywhere and from the beginning. Get used to it. And we will not wear these masks forever. Sooner or later the pandemic will pass. “.
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Strict control
The pandemic put one of the basic principles of the European idea to the test: free movement. To this day, the countries of the Old Continent are not unanimous on when and if they should close the borders. In South Korea, they are much stricter: “Anyone who enters the country must remain in quarantine for 14 days,” says Jordan.
“Once you land, they take you directly by special transport to a quarantined building or to your apartment. Then you have to take the test and enter your temperature and symptoms in a special application every day,” explains the Bulgarian student. Verification is easy: a mobile phone’s GPS is used to monitor whether you are violating quarantine.
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“I miss human relationships in Europe”
Finally, we changed the subject and asked Jordan about life in South Korea beyond the coronavirus. What does she miss? “I’m starting to miss the real relationships between people in Europe. People here are very friendly, but not completely honest. At some point, you decide that someone is interested in you, but in reality they are not. It is difficult to understand what they really think. “Koreans are also known for their conservatism,” Jordan said. “Family is extremely important here. In Europe, we are more individualistic. And sometimes I miss that freedom. “
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And what would you miss about South Korea if you decided to return to Europe? “I have never felt safer, despite having lived in Austria, which is also a safe country. Order, cleanliness, access to all development opportunities, the way the state is organized, these things I will certainly miss. “
