US State Department Downgrades South Korea to 'Reconsider Travel' Level... Lifts Global Travel Ban
Lifting of Blanket Travel Ban After 5 Months...Switching to Country-Specific Alerts
Travel Ban Maintained for China, Russia, and Others
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The United States has lifted its travel ban alert, which was imposed worldwide due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), after about five months. This is the first time since March last year. For South Korea, the alert level was downgraded to 'Reconsider Travel.'
On the 6th (local time), the U.S. Department of State lifted the travel ban alert that had been in place worldwide since March 19 and recommended 'Reconsider Travel' for South Korea. This was a downgrade as the global measure was lifted.
The U.S. Department of State's travel alerts are divided into four levels: Level 1 - Exercise Normal Precautions, Level 2 - Exercise Increased Caution, Level 3 - Reconsider Travel, and Level 4 - Do Not Travel. As the blanket measure for the entire world was lifted, the travel alerts for 209 countries worldwide were changed to individual alerts.
Travel advisories for most European countries such as France, Spain, Italy, and Austria were downgraded to Level 3. South Korea was also assigned a Level 3 travel alert.
For Russia and India, where COVID-19 infections are currently spreading, a Level 4 Do Not Travel alert was applied. Although China successfully controlled the infection, a Do Not Travel alert was still applied. In contrast, Brazil, which has the second highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world after the U.S., was assigned only a Level 2 alert, creating a contrast.
Hot Picks Today
"Stocks Are Not Taxed, but Annual Crypto Gains Over 2.5 Million Won to Be Taxed Next Year... Investors Push Back"
- "Don't Throw Away Coffee Grounds" Transformed into 'High-Grade Fuel' in Just 90 Seconds [Reading Science]
- Signed Without Viewing for 1.6 Billion Won... Jamsil and Seongbuk Jeonse Prices Jump 200 Million Won in a Month [Real Estate AtoZ]
- Despite Warnings of "Do Not Enter, You May Not Make It Out Alive"... Foreign Tourist Stranded After Unauthorized Climb on Jeju Sanbangsan
- "Even With a 90 Million Won Salary and Bonuses, It Doesn’t Feel Like Much"... A Latecomer Rookie Who Beat 70 to 1 Odds [Scientists Are Disappearing] ③
Earlier, on February 22, the U.S. Department of State issued a Level 2 'Exercise Increased Caution' alert reflecting the COVID-19 spread situation in South Korea, and four days later, the travel alert was raised to Level 3. For Daegu, where a mass infection occurred, the highest level was temporarily applied.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
