S.Korea begins PCR testing of all passengers coming from China

South Korea on Monday implemented tougher quarantine measures on arrivals from China like a PCR test for COVID-19.

Thus quarantine authorities require anyone entering by air or ship from China to undergo a PCR test.

Short-term visitors from China excluding Hong Kong and Macao must take a PCR test upon arrival and wait at another space until the test results come out.

Korean nationals or expats in the country coming from China must also undergo testing for COVID-19 at a public health center within a day of arrival and wait at home until the test results are confirmed.

From Thursday, travelers arriving from China must submit pre-entry results of PCR tests. Korean and foreign travelers boarding flights arriving from China except in certain cases like attending a funeral are required to submit the results of such a test within 48 hours or a rapid antigen test from an authorized center within 24 hours of boarding.

From Thursday through Jan. 31, the Korean government will restrict the issuance of short-term visas by its diplomatic missions in China. The granting of tourist visas will be suspended over that period, but exceptions will be made for those needed for diplomatic and government, essential business and humanitarian reasons.

Write to Jung-Eun Kim at likesmile@hankyung.com