Employees and their family members of Hyundai Motor Co. undergo boarding procedures to head to Beijing at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Sept. 4, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — China, for the first time since banning foreigners from entering the country in March following the coronavirus outbreak, has allowed a chartered plane to land in Beijing.
Hyundai Motor Group was approved by the Chinese government to land three chartered planes carrying 600 people at Beijing Capital International Airport on Thursday and Friday.
The 600 employees were sent to a nearby designated hotel for a 14-day quarantine in accordance with China’s quarantine regulations.
Once the quarantine is complete, the staff will be allowed to go to their destination hotel or their homes.
Ever since the coronavirus first broke out, China has not allowed any chartered planes to fly into Beijing to prevent the coronavirus from re-entering the country.
This unprecedented approval is seen as part of a follow-up measure after Yang Jiechi, a top Chinese official in charge of diplomatic affairs, visited South Korea last month to discuss the possibility of a visit from President Xi Jinping and strengthening South Korea-China ties.
“Hyundai Motor has been negotiating with the Chinese government to send staff to Beijing for various projects in the country, including R&D and production, and to allow employees to meet with their family members,” a local source said.
Hyundai Motor currently runs an assembly plant in Beijing, which has been calling for an urgent need to send and exchange staff.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
