Journalist Amazed By Differences In COVID Responses Between South Korea and the U.S.

At the end of the article the journalist admits that she sees know way the U.S. could replicate what South Korea has done because of the different mentality of Americans:

A bag arrived from the local authority the next day that contained a thermometer, a pack of disposable masks, two types of hand sanitizers and a garbage bag. For the two weeks of my quarantine, I would need to discard any of my garbage in the government-mandated bag. I was told it would be collected at the end of my stay.

On day seven of the quarantine, my mom received yet another call from my appointed Covid-19 contact. They wanted to speak with me. I was asked to confirm that I was, in fact, me, before asking some questions and offering mental health services if I required one.

Whenever a new case emerged in a neighboring town, my iPhone would ping with a new notification, the same noise phones make when there is an Amber Alert in the U.S. I would get two or three of these alerts almost every day.

NBC News

You can read more about her whole experience traveling to South Korea under pandemic conditions at the link.