South Koreans stranded in Peru are to arrive home over the weekend via a repatriation flight, as the Latin American country has suspended commercial flights to and from the country to contain the novel coronavirus, the Korean Embassy in Peru said Friday.

A total 198 Koreans, including tourists and volunteer workers with the Korea International Cooperation Agency, departed from a military airport in Peru’s capital Lima on Thursday afternoon, local time, on a chartered flight arranged by the Korean government, according to the embassy.

It added that evacuees did not show symptoms of COVID-19.

Korea’s Foreign Ministry moved to negotiate the evacuation of Koreans stranded there after the Peru government’s closure of its border earlier in the week.

Koreans on board the plane operated by Aeromexico are to stop over in Mexico and arrive at Incheon Airport on Saturday evening, the embassy said.

Evacuees paid over 3 million won ($2,490) per person for a seat on the rescue flight, it added.

The Peruvian government, meanwhile, expanded its total quarantine by 13 days, until April 12th, as it battles to stop the spread of the contagion.

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)