Authorities "Will Support Indian Residents' Entry to the Maximum... Swift Approval for 'Domestic Entry Use'"

14-Day Self-Quarantine Rule Applies to Indian Entrants
"No Consideration for Isolation in Separate Locations"

On the 24th, arrivals are moving through Terminal 1 arrivals hall at Incheon International Airport. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The government has expressed its intention to provide maximum support for Korean nationals residing in India, including expatriates, to enter the country. An irregular flight specifically for expatriates arriving from India is planned to be authorized on the 5th of next month.

On the 27th, Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH), stated during a COVID-19 briefing, "The government continues to allow irregular flights for Korean nationals to enter the country," adding, "We are taking all possible measures to support expatriates entering Korea to ensure there are no issues." Currently, the government permits irregular flights under conditions such as limiting passengers to 60% capacity and ensuring that over 90% of passengers are Korean nationals, considering the risk of COVID-19 infection.

For arrivals from India, the 14-day self-quarantine rule applies. Son said, "A 14-day quarantine is mandatory for all overseas arrivals, along with mandatory PCR testing before entry and two PCR tests before quarantine release after arrival, to prevent the spread of variant viruses. These measures also apply to those arriving from India, and we are not considering isolating Indian arrivals in separate locations." Authorities explained that they are minimizing exemptions from self-quarantine for countries where variant viruses are spreading.

Meanwhile, it is reported that more than 70 Korean expatriates in India have tested positive. A COVID-19 cluster infection also occurred at the Korean Embassy in India. Currently, the number of Korean expatriates in India exceeds 10,000.

In response, the Ministry of Health and Welfare previously stated in a press release, "Several additional irregular flights are expected to be applied for besides the one on May 5th, and these will be promptly authorized," adding, "The government will do its utmost to protect the lives and safety of its citizens by expanding guidance and support through overseas diplomatic missions."

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