From the 3rd, Maldives, which announced 'entry ban', to allow entry for tourists departing from Seoul

Senior Official Decides to Ease Restrictions After Consultations with Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Saudi Arabia, Gabon Also Gradually Relax Entry Restrictions

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Maldives, a popular honeymoon destination, is easing the full entry ban that was scheduled to take effect from the 3rd. Initially, the Maldives planned to ban entry for foreigners who had visited Daegu, Gyeongsang Province, Busan, Seoul, and Gyeonggi Province before entering the country.

On the 2nd, a senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in an unofficial briefing, "The Maldives had announced a ban on entry for Koreans starting from the 3rd, but they have decided not to prohibit travel from the Seoul area to the Maldives."

Regarding whether separate quarantine measures will be applied to entrants, the official said, "It is not clear yet," adding, "They initially intended a full entry ban but now plan to allow travelers coming from the Seoul area to enter."

The official emphasized that Saudi Arabia, including the Maldives, has also eased its full entry ban, allowing entry for holders of work and business visas. This is the result of continuous requests not to impose excessive entry restrictions while explaining the Korean government’s stringent quarantine system.

Additionally, Gabon, which planned a full entry ban on the 29th of last month, switched to designated hospital quarantine on the 14th after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly raised related issues. Uzbekistan, which had planned to completely suspend flights to Seoul from the 1st, has decided to maintain some flights.

The official explained, "We are clarifying that these are preemptive measures related to our government raising the crisis alert to the 'serious' level," adding, "Most countries accept the explanation, but entry bans are being imposed mainly by countries that lack confidence in their own quarantine capabilities."

Regarding the strengthened entry procedures by local Chinese governments, which cause significant inconvenience to Korean tourists, the embassy and consulates are actively responding. The official said, "In China, these measures are not so much directives from the central government but actions taken by each region following instructions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, so the cases vary," adding, "We are making efforts to minimize inconvenience, including arranging meetings."

Meanwhile, there are no concrete discussions yet about medical testing policies for passengers departing to or arriving from the United States. The official stated, "There are no detailed plans yet on when this will start," and added, "We are in close consultation with the U.S. side."

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