Seoul lifts visa limits on short-term travelers from China, testing for SARs remain

A traveler walks outside of a COVID-19 testing center at the Incheon International Airport In Incheon, South Korea, last week

South Korea says it will remove the entry restrictions it placed on short-term travelers from China since the start of the year as officials see the Covid-19 situation in that country as stabilizing.

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 Macau to submit proof 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 at 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.  MDT/AP