By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
South Koreans will be able to visit the United States for up to three months visa-free beginning mid-January, after the two countries struck a deal on details of Seoul's joining the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Seoul said Thursday.
Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff signed a deal Wednesday in Washington, D.C. on exchanging information on suspected criminals, which had been considered the last hurdle for South Korea's bid for the VWP.
``Following the latest deal between Yu and Chertoff, the Ministry of Government Legislation and related agencies will review the agreement. After that, the two governments are scheduled to sign a final deal,'' ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young told reporters.
The government later will request approval of the visa waiver deal from the National Assembly, Moon said. The United States is expected to announce the new members of the VWP in mid-October and put into effect the visa waiver for the accepted nations, including South Korea, in mid-January, said the spokesman.
At a press conference in Washington, D.C., Minister Yu said he and Chertoff concluded detailed procedures on exchanging criminal records of known suspects so immigration authorities of the two sides could access such information automatically at airports.
He said the automatic inquiry system does not provide detailed criminal records but would confirm in the form of a yes or no if someone has been involved in a certain type of crime.
``Only a handful of people are subjected to the system, and also the system is reciprocal,'' Yu said, adding that a certain number of Americans are also affected.
Some South Korean lawyers claim that sharing criminal records of citizens is in violation of basic human rights, while Washington insists it is one of the basic standards to be met by those countries wanting to join the VWP to help protect American nationals and interests from terrorists or criminals.
South Korea began issuing electronic passports to citizens last month to help get the U.S. visa waiver status. Issuance of the ``e-passport'' is a key precondition to the country's joining the VWP under which South Koreans will be able to visit the United States for up to three months without pre-obtaining a visa.
Those who want to stay in the United States longer than three months are required to obtain visas. The back cover of the e-passport contains an embedded microchip carrying the holder's basic personal information, including date of birth and any criminal record, to help deter forgery.