South Korea will temporarily halt visa-free entry or visa waiver programs for several countries including Thailand, Prime Minister Chung Sye Kyun announced on Wednesday.
This new restriction comes after the country saw a surge in coronavirus cases coming from imported cases overseas amid the outbreak after it had managed to flatten the curve.
“While we maintain the principle of openness, the government will strengthen [entry] restrictions in accordance with the principle of reciprocity,” said Chung during a pan-government meeting on Wednesday. “For countries that ban our citizens’ entry, we will temporarily suspend visa-free and visa-waiver programs.”
Entry restrictions will also be expanded for foreigners traveling for non-essential purposes and trivial matters, the prime minister said.
The government’s new measure will apply to 88 countries out of 148 that have imposed entry bans on South Koreans over the coronavirus outbreak. This includes 34 countries with visa-free entry programs, such as Canada and Australia, and 54 with visa waiver programs, such as Thailand, France, and Russia.
