Slow but steady decline resumes, Croatia newly added to countries with lifted restrictions
Special entry system for businesspeople introduced between Korea and Vietnam... Effective from January 1 next year, marking the 6th such system introduced
On the 6th, passengers using Shandong Airlines from China are preparing to depart at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] As the number of new COVID-19 cases is explosively increasing worldwide, the number of countries imposing entry bans on travelers from Korea is slowly decreasing. With Croatia newly added to the list, the number of countries lifting entry restrictions on arrivals from Korea has increased to 25.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 5th, the number of countries imposing entry bans on travelers from Korea decreased by one from the previous week to 53 countries (as of 10 a.m. on the 4th). While the number of entry ban countries had remained steady at 55 amid the global resurgence of COVID-19, it has started to decline again since last week.
The number of countries implementing facility quarantine and other measures remains at 10, maintaining last week's level, while the number of countries applying the lowest level of measures such as strengthened quarantine and recommendations stands at 99. Countries enforcing facility quarantine include Japan, the United States, Tunisia, Mauritius, Burundi, and Benin, while countries with strengthened quarantine and advisory measures include India, Thailand, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Greece, Denmark, Russia, Sweden, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
The number of countries lifting entry-related restrictions on travelers from Korea increased by one from last week to 25. Croatia was added to the list of countries that lifted related measures on the 1st. Countries that have lifted entry-related restrictions include Croatia, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belize, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Poland, France, and Finland.
The government's efforts to restore economic exchanges are also yielding results. The governments of Korea and Vietnam have agreed to implement a 'special entry procedure' to simplify the entry process for businesspeople starting from the new year.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, following the visit of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh to Lee Tae-ho, the 2nd Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, the two governments agreed to implement the 'Korea-Vietnam Special Entry Procedure' to support essential movement of businesspeople between the two countries starting January 1 of next year. The introduction of a fast-track entry system for businesspeople is the sixth such system following China in May, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan. Vietnam is the second country after Japan to implement the 'special entry procedure' with Korea.
Both countries have maintained quarantine efforts in response to COVID-19 during key high-level exchanges between Korea and Vietnam and have confirmed a consensus on the need to institutionalize the special entry procedure to support businesspeople's economic activities, conducting working-level consultations to prepare concrete implementation plans.
With this agreement on the special entry procedure, alongside the current irregular flights organized mainly by the Vietnamese embassy and related agencies for Korean businesspeople to enter Vietnam amid the COVID-19 situation, economic exchanges with Vietnam?a major trading and investment partner of Korea and a key partner in the New Southern Policy?are expected to be further promoted.
An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "Going forward, both Korea and Vietnam will continue mutual efforts through diplomatic channels to ensure the smooth operation of the 'special entry procedure' and enhance the effectiveness of the system."
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