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PCR test for passengers arriving from China to be lifted on March 1
Source
KOREA.net
Date
2023.02.27

The mandatory PCR test on arrival for all incoming passengers from China will be lifted from March 1.


The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said in a meeting on Feb. 22 that from the first day of next month, passengers from China will not be mandated to undergo a PCR test.


It decided the additional easing of quarantine measures was possible as the percentage of travelers from China testing positive for COVID-19 decreased from 18.4% in the first week of January to 0.6% in the third week of this month.


Since Jan. 2, visitors from China have been obligated to take a PCR test for the coronavirus immediately on arrival, and then three days later present a negative result from a test taken before their departure.


The quarantine requirements such as the predeparture test result for COVID-19 and signing up with Korea's Quarantine COVID-19 Defense System, or Q-Code, will remain until March 10. These will be terminated after evaluating the effects of scrapping the arrival test and other measures.


The government lifted the ban on short-term visas for travelers from China on Feb. 11, considering the stabilization of the coronavirus surge there and the lack of a variant of concern among confirmed cases from that country. In response, the neighboring country also removed the same ban imposed on passengers from Korea.


Entering the country through airports other than Incheon International Airport will also be allowed. Seoul has been reviewing a plan to increase the number of additional weekly flights connecting Korea and China from the current 62 to 80 by the end of the month, gradually raising these to 100 in March.



By Xu Aiying

xuaiy@korea.kr