China halts visa issuance for South Korean citizens

 

 

By Steve Yoon

 

China has stopped issuing visas to South Korean and Japanese citizens as Beijing retaliates against recent Covid entry restrictions on arrivals from China.

 

“Visas for business, tourism, medical treatment, transit and general private affairs will be suspended for South Korean citizens effective today,” the Chinese Embassy in Seoul said in a statement on Tuesday. The measures will be “adjusted” if South Korea cancels its “discriminatory” entry restrictions on China, the embassy added.

 

The Chinese embassy in Tokyo, on its website, later that day said it would suspend issuing ordinary visas to Japanese citizens, and the timing of its resumption will be notified later.

 

The restrictions mark China’s first retaliation against restrictions and screenings placed on travelers from China. South Korea  has tightened curbs on travelers from China, halting the issuance of short-term visas for Chinese nationals until the end of this month, and It also requires people traveling from China to take a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival and remain in isolation until receiving negative results.

It has also temporarily stopped increasing flights to and from China.

 

Also, a number of countries moved to require testing from travelers from China in recent weeks, citing concerns over the country’s recent surge of infections after China dropped its stringent Covid controls last month.

 

Korean foreign ministry said the two sides had "consultations and communication" through their diplomatic channels.

 

"South Korea's measures are based on scientific grounds and the country has been communicating and sharing relevant information with China as well as the international community transparently.t," the ministry's spokesperson, Lim Soo-suk, said at a press briefing.

 

Lim said the government will deliver the stance once again while continuing close communication with its Chinese counterpart over the matter. 


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China halts visa issuance for South Korean citizens (sankyungtoday.com)

China halts visa issuance for South Korean citizens