Does the US Travel Ban Include Korea... Affecting 80% of Countries Worldwide

Korea Currently at Level 2... Possibility of Upgrade Cannot Be Ruled Out

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min, Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The U.S. Department of State has announced plans to recommend a "travel ban" for 80% of countries worldwide to its citizens. Attention is focused on what evaluation will be given to South Korea, which is currently at Level 2 "Enhanced Caution."

On the 19th (local time), the State Department announced it will revise travel advisories within this week. The key change is that the number of countries under the Level 4 travel advisory, "Do Not Travel," will increase to cover 80% of countries worldwide. The State Department's travel advisories are categorized as Level 1 "Exercise Normal Precautions," Level 2 "Exercise Increased Caution," Level 3 "Reconsider Travel," and Level 4 "Do Not Travel."

As a result of this measure, many countries currently under Level 3 advisories are likely to be upgraded to Level 4 "Do Not Travel" recommendations. Currently, the countries designated as "Do Not Travel" by the State Department include North Korea, Brazil, and Afghanistan, accounting for only 16% of all countries. Taiwan and New Zealand are at Level 1, Australia and others at Level 2, and Japan, China, and most European countries are at Level 3.

In the case of South Korea, which was downgraded from Level 3 to Level 2 last November, the travel advisory level may be raised again. The State Department explained that it will determine travel advisory levels based on each country's COVID-19 testing capacity and the level of travel restrictions imposed on Americans.

South Korea currently self-assesses as being in the early stage of the fourth wave of COVID-19. The average daily number of confirmed cases over the past week (April 14?20) was 645, a pattern similar to early December last year, just before daily cases surged to the 1,000 range.

The State Department's announcement comes amid an increasing number of countries permitting travel following vaccination, and is interpreted as a response to the growing risk posed by new variants of the virus.

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