Context: The Korean Model, a vigorous regime of “trace, test, treat”, has shown remarkable results in controlling the spread and mortality of the novel coronavirus, without putting a nationwide lockdown in place, and depended on conducting as many as 18,000 tests a day, South Korean Ambassador to India has said.

• ‘Korean model’ is grounded on concentrated testing of high-risk areas and clusters.
• Korea found out at the beginning of the spread of the virus that a certain religious cult group and its gathering was the cause of a large portion of the spread in a certain area of the country. This group had massive gatherings in a closed-off space with congregation in close contact with each other.
• The government listed all members of the group across the country, tracked their whereabouts and conducted tests on a massive scale, leading to the rapid increase in the number of confirmed cases.
• However, Korea succeeded in identifying and isolating potential cases at a very early stage and finally flattened the curve.
• Korea, as a democratic country, put top priority on the principles of openness and transparency. The government fully committed to sharing information, in a prompt and transparent manner, gained public trust and high-level of civic awareness, which encouraged the public to take voluntary self-quarantine and other preventive measures such as ‘social-distancing’.

Lessons that India needs to incorporate from South korea’s response

Steps taken in the initial phase

• Identifying and isolating the core of the spread of the virus with full medical capacity at the earliest possible stage is a key essence of the Korean model.

Testing infrastructure

• South Korean medical teams and bio-companies were able to develop new testing kits with surprising speed. 
• Efficiency in working of testing centers Anybody in the country who has symptoms or reasons to be tested can get the test within minutes at a ‘drive-thru’ or ‘walk-thru’ testing centre.Also the results of the tests are sent by text message the very next day. 
• South Korea has also made available over 650 testing centers nationwide.

Principles of openness and transparency

• The government’s commitment  to sharing information, in a prompt and transparent manner and has gained public trust and high-level of civic awareness.
• This encouraged the public to take voluntary self-quarantine and other preventive measures such as ‘social-distancing’.