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| Jee Young-mee, commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency speaks during a press conference held at the agency's headquarters in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, Tuesday. Courtesy of Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency |
KDCA chief says life will return to normal in 2023
By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea is mulling the resumption of issuing short-terms visas to Chinese nationals earlier than late February, according to Korea Disease Control Prevention Agency (KDCA) Commissioner Jee Young-mee. Her remarks came as Seoul and Beijing are engaged in a tit-for-tat involving travel restrictions triggered by a resurgence of coronavirus infections in China.
Since Jan. 2, authorities in Korea have tightened virus restrictions on visitors from China, suspending issuances of short-term visas and requiring those entering the country ― regardless of their nationality ― to receive a PCR test before and after arriving here. Introducing such measures, the government said it will review whether to lift the restrictions in late February.
In an apparent retaliation, Beijing also suspended issuing short-term visas for Koreans since Jan. 10. It has also been mandating PCR tests on all passengers arriving from Korea ― except for Chinese nationals ― from Feb.1.
"Although there is still a lack of official data from China, we are observing through other routes that the virus situation there is showing a downward trend. From what we know, there has not been a drastic surge in infections following the Lunar New Year holiday," Jee said during a press conference, Tuesday. It was her first press conference since she took office on Dec. 19, 2022.
She added that an emergence of new variants of the virus in China is not being detected, contrary to concerns that the massive surge in infections could spawn mutations.
"Given the situation, we are reviewing whether to lift the short-term visa restriction earlier than our previous plan," Jee said.
But she noted that the testing requirement on entrants from China will remain in place, and travelers will still be required to fill out the Quarantine Information Pre-entry System (Q-CODE), until the end of this month.
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| Travelers at the departure hall of Incheon International Airport wait in line to check in for a flight bound for China, Feb. 1. Yonhap |
Regarding Jeju Island's recent request to the government to ease travel restrictions on Chinese tourists heading to the southern resort island, Jee said, "It's difficult to comment [about lifting the measures] on a certain region," implying that health authorities are not reviewing such measures.
"Considering that there seem to be zero cases from China confirmed through PCR tests, the health authorities should positively consider allowing Chinese tourists to enter Jeju," Jeju Governor Oh Young-hun said at a press conference, Monday.
He viewed that the early easing of travel restrictions on China is crucial for a full-fledged recovery of the tourism industry in Jeju.
Meanwhile, the country's top disease expert vowed that 2023 will be the year for Korea to end its years-long battle with the unprecedented pandemic and return to normalcy.
"Although the world still remains under the threat of the coronavirus, we are nearing the light at the end of the tunnel," she said. "Returning to normalcy means entering a stage where the virus can be controlled at a manageable level, although it may not be fully eradicated."
She told reporters that her agency will actively review a full removal of the mask mandate and the seven-day mandatory isolation rule on virus carriers once the World Health Organization (WHO) ends the emergency declaration over the coronavirus, possibly in a meeting slated for April. In its latest emergency meeting held late last month, the WHO decided to maintain the health emergency declaration.
"Considering that the next meeting is expected to be held in late April, we will engage in preemptive discussions with experts about downgrading the infectious disease level of the coronavirus, as well as a full removal of the mask mandate," Jee said.
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