The man's disappearance after testing positive for COVID upon arrival at Incheon airport on Tuesday and being ordered into quarantine raised concern about increasing infections after China abandoned a tough "zero-COVID" policy and prepares to scrap travel restrictions as its cases rapidly increase."The person was found at a hotel in Seoul this afternoon," a police officer said, adding the man in his 40s would be taken to a facility to spend the stipulated seven days in quarantine.
"We plan to investigate the individual once the mandatory isolation period is completed."
The man has been on a wanted list for allegedly running away while awaiting admission to quarantine.
He could be subject to up to one year in prison, or 10 million won ($7,840) in fines, if convicted of violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, officials said.
South Korea began requiring travellers from China to undergo a PCR test upon arrival from Monday, joining a growing list of countries imposing border restrictions amid concern over infections following China's decision to end its zero-COVID policies.
Effective Thursday, arrivals are also required to provide a negative PCR result, taken within 48 hours of the beginning of their journeys to South Korea, or a rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours.
A total of 4,113 people have arrived from China since Monday and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 917 test results showed that 239 of them, or 26.1% of them, were infected with COVID.
On Wednesday, 31.5% of 327 people tested produced a positive result, agency data showed.
(Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Robert Birsel)
