Seoul lifts visa limits placed on short-term travelers from China
South Korea in early January stopped issuing most short-term visas at its consulates in China, citing concerns about a virus surge in the country and the potential for new mutations. China abruptly eased coronavirus restrictions in December, raising the prospect of millions of Chinese traveling abroad again for the first time in three years.
South Korea also required all passengers from China, Hong Kong and Macao to submit proofs of negative tests taken with 48 hours before their arrival and put them through tests again once they arrive.
Following an anti-virus meeting on Friday, the government decided to normalize short-term visa applications at its consulates in China from Saturday. The testing requirements were maintained but officials say those steps could be relaxed later depending on virus developments.
While allowing the extension of existing visas, South Korea had stopped issuing most short-term visas as its consulates in China, except for essential government, diplomatic and business activities and humanitarian reasons.
The South Korean virus measures prompted China to retaliate by suspending South Korean short-term visa applications, raising business concerns in a country that heavily depends on exports to China.
Lunar New Year
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said 1.4 percent of the Chinese short-term travelers tested positive after their arrivals, compared to nearly 22 percent in the first week of January. As of Friday, eight of them remained in quarantine at designated hotels, compared to around 140 quarantines in early January.
“The downward trend apparently reflects the change in the Covid-19 situation in China, where signs of a viral emergence following the Lunar New Year’s holidays haven’t been evident and the emergence of new variants hasn’t happened,” the Health Ministry said in a statement announcing the easing of border controls. (AP)