Kang Kyung-hwa: "Now, a total ban on Chinese entrants is ineffective"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Ji-eun and Won Dara] Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha stated that a complete ban on entrants from China at this point would be ineffective.

On the 2nd, during a parliamentary question session, Minister Kang responded to a question from Kim Boo-kyum, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, saying, "Banning entry from China now would not only be ineffective but also disadvantageous for our citizens who must visit China."

She added, "When the full ban was implemented, there could have been repercussions, and considering factors such as corporate investments in China, the decision was made comprehensively at that time. Now, with special entry procedures being operated quite efficiently, the number of entrants from China has decreased to fewer than 1,000, while the number of our citizens traveling to China has slightly increased."

Regarding China quarantining our citizens, and whether the two countries could discuss mutual two-week travel restrictions as suggested by Representative Kim, she said, "It seems our citizens are allowed entry, but various quarantines are being imposed after entry. We have pointed out and requested corrections for unnecessary and unfair measures, and opened communication channels for citizens facing difficulties."

She continued, "Among students studying abroad, there has been a suggestion to refrain from visits for the time being, but since students often have diverse travel needs such as visiting relatives, it would be difficult to impose a two-week restriction considering that."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.