Rising Border Restrictions... COVID-19 Spread and Variant Fears Lead to 54 Countries Reimposing Entry Bans on Korea

11 Countries with Facility Quarantine, 101 with Strengthened Quarantine... Number of Countries Lifting Entry Restrictions Decreases to 21
Countries Strengthen Entry Restrictions Amid COVID-19 Spread Fear
South Korean Government Also Tightens Entry Restrictions on the UK

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Following the resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), countries worldwide are reinforcing lockdowns and quarantine measures as new variants with significantly higher transmissibility than previous ones have been consecutively identified in the United Kingdom. Some countries, including Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, and Israel, have imposed entry bans on travelers from the UK, and South Korea has also temporarily suspended flights from the UK until the end of the year.

As fear of COVID-19 spread intensifies globally, entry restrictions on travelers from South Korea are also being tightened. Although the number of countries banning entry from South Korea had been steadily decreasing, it has now reversed to an increasing trend, and countries that had lifted entry restrictions are once again strengthening quarantine measures. This trend is likely to continue until fears surrounding the spread of COVID-19 and its variants subside.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 26th, 54 countries (as of 2 p.m. on the 25th) have imposed entry bans on travelers from South Korea, an increase of one country compared to the previous week. This is the result of countries that had eased quarantine measures now blocking entrants from South Korea again. Countries on the list include Taiwan, Laos, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia, Hong Kong, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.

The number of countries enforcing strict quarantine measures such as facility quarantine has increased to 11, including Japan, Thailand, and the United States, while 101 countries have implemented the lowest level of entry restrictions, such as enhanced quarantine and advisory measures. Conversely, the number of countries that had lifted entry restrictions on travelers from South Korea, which once reached 26, has significantly decreased to 21.

Countries that have lifted entry restrictions include the Netherlands, Latvia, Romania, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Malta, Belgium, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Albania, Austria, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Croatia, Portugal, France, and Finland.

This situation is completely different from the period when COVID-19 was somewhat controlled in South Korea and other countries. Previously, countries that had imposed entry bans on travelers from South Korea relaxed their measures, increasing the number of countries implementing relatively lower-level measures such as facility quarantine and enhanced screening. However, recently, countries that had lifted entry restrictions have reinstated them, causing the number to rise again.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

It appears likely that the strengthened entry restrictions on travelers from South Korea will continue for the time being. This is because the spread of COVID-19 has reached an uncontrollable level, with variants discovered in the UK and those found in South Africa also being identified in the UK. Although vaccines developed by global pharmaceutical companies such as AstraZeneca, Janssen, Moderna, and Pfizer have begun to be supplied, it remains uncertain whether they can curb the early spread.

The South Korean government has also tightened restrictions on travelers arriving from the UK. The government has suspended the issuance of quarantine exemption certificates by its diplomatic missions in the UK and requires all arrivals from the UK to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine without exception. Additionally, it has suspended flights from the UK until the end of the year. As social distancing measures have been significantly strengthened to prevent the spread of COVID-19 domestically, these enhanced entry restrictions may also be extended to countries other than the UK.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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