Seoul: South Korea on Friday (Dec 30) announced to limit travelers from mainland China, imposing visa restrictions, and testing requirements, and limiting flights citing reports of a covid surge in china.
Recently Italy, Taiwan, Japan, India, and the United States announced covid-19 travel measures for travelers from china.
Seoul’s Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Friday, “Until February 2023, those entering (South Korea) from China will be required to undergo a Covid test before and after their arrival”.
Travelers from China must provide a negative PCR test was taken within 48 hours before boarding a plane to South Korea, or a negative antigen test within 24 hours before departure.
They will also be required to undergo a PCR test within the first day of their arrival, Han said.
Seoul is “inevitably strengthening some anti-epidemic measures to prevent the spread of the virus in our country due to the worsening Covid-19 situation in China,” Han added.
South Korea will also restrict the issuing of short-term visas to Chinese nationals, excluding public officials, diplomats, and those with crucial humanitarian and business purposes, until the end of January 2023.
Seoul is scaling back the number of flights from China and all flights from the country will now have to land only at South Korea’s main Incheon International Airport, Han added.
