The quarantine authorities announced on the 20th that they would consider further lifting or easing the quarantine policy, including the obligation to require all new foreign arrivals to undergo a COVID-19 gene amplification (PCR) test within a day of arrival into Korea.
In a regular briefing on the same day, Lim Sook-young, head of the situation at the Central Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters (Bangdaebon), said, “Since the current epidemic is moving into a stable phase, additional parts (adjustments) are being made while comprehensively consider foreign trends and expert opinions on different quarantine policies. We are preparing,” he said.
According to the report, among OECD countries, 10 countries, including Korea, implement measures such as diagnostic tests and entry restrictions for foreign newcomers. The United States and Canada restrict access to unvaccinated people. In Japan, Spain, Chile, Luxembourg, Lithuania and Colombia, screening is mandatory for unvaccinated people before entering the country. New Zealand performs rapid antigen testing on all incoming travelers upon entry.
From June 8, South Korea lifted the quarantine obligation for all incoming travelers, including those who were not vaccinated, and from the 3rd, it also eliminated pre-entry inspections for all incoming travelers. As a minimum measure to prevent the influx of mutations, the obligation to have a PCR test within a day after entry continues. If the PCR test duty within a day after entry is also abolished, all restrictions will on arrival abroad are deleted.
Ahn Hye-won, reporter at Hankyung.com anhw@hankyung.com
