S. Korean Embassy in Indonesia shuts down over virus concerns

The South Korean Embassy in Indonesia has shut down temporarily after the ambassador tested positive for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Tuesday.

The embassy said it would halt operations through Thursday after reporting virus patients, including the South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia Park Tae-sung.

Workers at the embassy, as well as those at the South Korean mission to ASEAN in Jakarta, were currently being tested for the novel Coronavirus, officials said.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) data, Indonesia’s total COVID-19 cases topped 1.6 million cases as of Monday, with its death toll surpassing 43,000.

Its daily virus cases have been hovering around 5,000 since late February.

The embassy said 116 South Korean residents in Indonesia have tested positive for COVID-19, but the actual number of virus patients could be larger considering that some cases may have not been reported to the authorities.

A total of 246 South Koreans tested positive for COVID-19 on their homeland after flying in from Indonesia, the data showed.

The embassy previously closed its buildings over virus concerns in November and last month.