Jeon Hae-cheol: "Visa-Free Entry for Foreigners Allowed at Jeju and Yangyang Airports from June 1"

Jeju Airport Allows Visa-Free Entry After 2 Years and 3 Months
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Support for Programs, Equipment, and HR Management Costs to Promote Remote Work

Jeon Hae-cheol, the 2nd Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety), is presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting related to COVID-19 and delivering opening remarks at the Seoul Situation Center, Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 4th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The government will allow visa-free entry for foreigners entering through Jeju Airport and Yangyang Airport starting in June.

On the 4th, Jeon Hae-cheol, the 2nd Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) and Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, stated, "From June 1st, visa-free entry will be permitted for foreigners entering through Jeju Airport, where visa-free operations were suspended since February 2020, and Yangyang Airport, which is preparing for an international event, on the condition of compliance with quarantine guidelines."

The visa-free system refers to a policy allowing foreigners of nationalities excluding terrorism-supporting countries to stay for up to one month without a visa in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. The visa-free entry eligibility for Jeju Airport applies to countries eligible before the suspension. At Yangyang Airport, visa-free entry will be allowed for group tourists of five or more from Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Mongolia.

Since COVID-19 has not been completely eradicated, support measures to alleviate burdens related to the activation of telecommuting in companies will be implemented concurrently. Customized consulting, related cost support, and focused campaigns will be conducted.

Minister Jeon said, "We will provide customized consulting to about 400 companies within the year to increase the participation rate in telecommuting, and support program and equipment establishment as well as personnel and labor management costs to ease the burden on companies adopting telecommuting. The government and public sectors will also actively utilize telecommuting considering the infection situation in the regions where institutions are located."

Minister Jeon added, "The government will implement measures to revitalize the local economy in line with the recovering daily life atmosphere, while preparing for the possibility of a resurgence of infections."

Jeon Hae-cheol, the 2nd Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety), is presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting related to COVID-19 and delivering opening remarks at the Seoul Situation Center, Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 4th.

The CDSCH plans to actively respond to new variant viruses. This week, recombinant variants confirmed domestically include 3 cases of XE, 2 cases of XM, and 1 case of XL.

Minister Jeon said, "We will strengthen surveillance of domestic variant virus emergence through enhanced genetic analysis and risk assessment, and continuously monitor the overseas new variant epidemic situation."

From this week, the outdoor mask mandate has been lifted, and weekly COVID-19 cases continue to decline. The average daily confirmed cases from the 27th of last month to the 3rd of this month were 48,000, a 38% decrease compared to the previous week. This is 17% of the cases from four weeks ago.

Minister Jeon stated, "The number of severe and critical patients in medical facilities decreased by 33% compared to the previous week, and the intensive care unit bed occupancy rate dropped to about 25%. According to the weekly risk assessment results, for the first time in 15 weeks since the second week of January, both the metropolitan area and non-metropolitan areas showed a 'medium' level of risk."

Minister Jeon emphasized, "Although the outdoor mask mandate has been lifted, wearing masks indoors remains mandatory. Elderly people, those with chronic diseases, and high-risk groups for COVID-19, as well as those with suspected symptoms, are advised to wear masks outdoors as much as possible and to pay attention to voluntary personal hygiene practices and quarantine measures."

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