Singapore and Saipan Arrivals Must Carry Negative Test Certificate Within 48 Hours Starting from the 20th (Update)

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] Travelers arriving from Singapore and Saipan must carry a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test certificate issued within 48 hours to be exempt from quarantine starting from the 20th.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters (Director Jeong Eun-kyung) announced on the 17th that quarantine exemptions will be exceptionally allowed for travelers using the Singapore-Saipan travel safe zone, but enhanced quarantine measures will be applied.

The government held the 73rd Overseas Inflow Situation Assessment meeting with related ministries and the 3rd Interministerial Task Force (TF) meeting for new variant response on the 14th, deciding to extend the response measures determined at the 1st Interministerial TF for new variant response from that day until the 6th of next month.

Specifically, these include ▲entry restrictions on 11 countries including South Africa ▲suspension of quarantine exemptions for all entrants regardless of vaccination status ▲extension of the suspension of flights from Ethiopia for three weeks.

First, in the case of Singapore and Saipan, quarantine exemptions will be exceptionally allowed in respect of mutual trust between countries based on agreements made before the announcement of the response measures, but enhanced quarantine measures will be implemented from 0:00 on the 20th.

Accordingly, travelers using the Korea-Singapore travel safe zone must carry a PCR negative certificate issued within 48 hours, which is stricter than the current 72-hour requirement, to enter Korea. In addition to PCR tests on days 1 and 6-7, self-tests using self-test kits must be conducted on days 3 and 5 at the traveler’s own expense.

For Saipan as well, travelers must carry a PCR negative certificate issued within 48 hours before departure to enter Korea. The restriction limiting the seat occupancy rate of flights operating between Korea and Saipan to 70% or less, which has been in effect since the 4th, will also be extended until the 6th of next month.

However, those who do not use the travel safe zone or fail to meet document requirements will be excluded from quarantine exemption regardless of vaccination status and will be subject to a mandatory 10-day quarantine.