What’s new: South Korea announced it would resume issuing short-term visas for travelers from China beginning Saturday, ending a 40-day suspension that began in early January, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported.
Seoul made the decision after China’s latest Covid-19 wave peaked and the number of infections among Chinese arrivals dropped, Kim Sung-ho, South Korea's vice interior minister in charge of disaster and safety management said Friday, Yonhap reported.
Kim said remaining restrictions such as requiring arrivals from China to submit negative test results before departure and testing upon arrival will be reviewed by the South Korean government for possible easing in the future, according to Yonhap.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning called Seoul’s move “a right step towards reducing obstacles hindering cross-border travel between the two countries,” adding that Beijing will consider resuming issuance of short-term visas for South Korean citizens “when appropriate,” during a daily briefing Friday.
The background: South Korea announced on Jan. 2 it would suspend issuing short-term visas to Chinese nationals until the end of January. The suspension was extended to the end of this month until the latest change.
On Jan. 10, China announced it would suspend issuing some visas for South Korea and Japan travelers in Beijing’s first retaliation against Covid-related curbs on Chinese travelers to those countries. On Jan. 29, China lifted the visa restrictions for Japan.
Contact reporter Kelly Wang (jingzhewang@caixin.com)
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