Minister Kang Kyung-hwa Summons Japanese Ambassador to Korea for Stern Protest

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the afternoon of the 6th at 3 PM, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha summoned Koji Domita, the Japanese Ambassador to Korea, to protest the Japanese government's strengthened entry restrictions on Korea.

Initially, this summons was planned to be conducted by First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Se-young, but it was changed to Minister Kang. This indicates that the Korean government views Japan's recent measures very seriously.

Japan has strengthened quarantine measures for entrants coming from Korea and China, requiring them to wait for two weeks at locations designated by the quarantine chief and requesting that they refrain from using public transportation within Japan.

Furthermore, Japan decided to suspend visa-free entry within 90 days until the end of this month and to refuse entry to foreigners who have stayed not only in Daegu and Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk, but also in Andong, Gyeongsan, Yeongcheon, Chilgok, Uiseong, Seongju, and Gunwi counties. This is effectively a comprehensive entry ban against Korea.

In response to Japan's measures, the Korean government announced plans for strong countermeasures. On the morning of the same day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed "extreme regret" and stated that it is reviewing all possible measures while prioritizing the health and safety of Korean citizens. The Blue House convened a Standing Committee of the National Security Council (NSC) to discuss the response direction to Japan's entry restrictions on Koreans, judging the measures to be unilateral and excessive without sufficient prior consultation.

The Blue House expressed strong regret over Japan's strengthened entry restrictions on Korea and the elevation of travel warnings for its citizens. After holding the Standing Committee, it was decided to respond based on reciprocity. The Blue House stated, "The standing committee members discussed ways to effectively respond to the increasing uncertainty in the international community caused by the spread of COVID-19 and the resulting transnational non-traditional security threats."

Earlier, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun also mentioned at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting held at the Government Seoul Office, "Yesterday, the Japanese government effectively imposed a comprehensive entry ban on our citizens," and added, "We find this very regrettable."

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