Korea ends arrival PCR testing requirement for China visitors

A sign at the Incheon International Airport for travelers from China. [NEWS1]

Korea will lift mandatory post-arrival PCR tests for travelers arriving from China from March 1, health authorities said Wednesday.

“The rate of infection found among the travelers from China to Korea dropped from 18.4 percent in the first week of testing to 0.6 percent in the seventh week,” said Lim Sook-young, director of the infectious disease crisis response bureau at the Central Disease Control Headquarters during a press briefing.

Korea began testing all short-term travelers from China from Jan. 2 at Incheon International Airport, after wave of infections was reported in China. All travelers from China also had to submit a negative pre-flight test result to fly to Korea.

Korea had stopped issuing short-term visas for travelers from China to Korea earlier this year.

Beijing suspended visas for travelers from Korea and Japan a few days later, calling their policies “discriminatory entry measures.” Japan had implemented a similar visa ban for travelers from China.

China also began requiring travelers from Korea to be tested for Covid-19 upon arrival in China earlier this month.

The tit-for-tat came to a halt last week when Korea began issuing short-term visas to Chinese applicants on Feb. 11. China reciprocated on Feb. 18.

“Of the 12,738 people who entered Korea from China between Feb. 12 and 18 and got tested, 71, or 0.6 percent, tested positive,” Lim said. “China's Covid-19 situation has moved into a stabilization phase, and we believe that the risk level has decreased.”

Chinese arrivals will also be able to arrive through airports other than Incheon International Airport from next month.

But the pre-flight PCR test required for all travelers from China to Korea will stand through March 10, said Korea’s health authorities.

After the announcement on Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesman said in a press conference that Beijing may also consider lifting the testing measure for arrivals from Korea.

Korea reported 13,082 new cases of Covid-19 infection as of midnight Tuesday, about 1,800 lower than the same day a week before, and about 4,800 lower than the same day two weeks before.

A total of 14 people died of Covid-19 from Monday to Tuesday, bringing the total deaths to 33,887 for a death rate of 0.11 percent.

A total of 186 Covid-19 patients were in critical condition as of midnight Tuesday, which was the fewest in seven months.

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]