Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
Korea to suspend visa waiver program for Japan
Japanese Ambassador to Korea Koji Tomita, left, listens to Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha at the foreign ministry in central Seoul, Friday, after being summoned over Japan's decision to tighten entry restrictions on people traveling there from Korea to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Yonhap
By Yi Whan-woo
Seoul says response to Tokyo's move was inevitable
By Yi Whan-woo and Kim Se-jeong
The government announced Friday that it was suspending a visa waiver program for Japanese citizens from March 9, in retaliation to Japan's decision to tighten entry restriction on people traveling to the neighboring country from Korea.
In addition, the administration will elevate its travel advisory level for Japan the same day, and put all people arriving from the country through special virus screening at ports and airports.
“Our goal is to prevent any coronavirus infection from Japan through an effective quarantine system,” said First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Se-young during a press briefing Friday evening.
The retaliatory measures were anticipated as Cheong Wa Dae said earlier, “the government will consider taking necessary corresponding measures in accordance with the principle of reciprocity.”
On Thursday, the Japanese government announced entry restrictions on people traveling there from Korea ― without notifying or consulting its counterpart here ― and China, claiming the measure was unavoidable to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
In a briefing, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that Japan would quarantine all visitors from Korea and China for two weeks upon arrival, and was also suspending its 90-day visa-waiver program.
As of Friday, Japan has 381 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with six fatalities.
Keeping the new coronavirus outbreak under control is Abe's No.1 priority to ensure the Summer Olympic Games hosted by Tokyo in July go ahead.
On Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping cancelled his upcoming visit to Japan.
Earlier Friday, Seoul expressed “extreme regret” over the decision to tighten entry restrictions.
The measures were seen as a development on an existing entry ban on anyone who visited Daegu ― the epicenter of the COVID-19 virus here ― within two weeks prior to their arrival in Japan.
Japan is among over 100 countries and territories that have restricted entry or imposed tougher quarantine procedures on people traveling from Korea, where infections have shot up in recent weeks.
Earlier, Cheong Wa Dae called Tokyo's move “improper.”
In a National Security Council (NSC) meeting convened by President Moon Jae-in's chief security adviser Chung Eui-yong, participants noted that Korea's “active, scientific and transparent” quarantine efforts have been in contrast to what they said was Japan's “non-transparent and passive” approach to its own outbreak.
“Given this, the council finds Japan's improper decision, which was made unilaterally without consulting our government, unconvincing,” Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.
The two East Asian neighbors, along with Iran and Italy, have emerged as hotspots for COVID-19, which originated in China.
Also earlier in the day, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said he found Japan's decision “very regretful” during an emergency taskforce meeting he presided over. He called on Tokyo to withdraw the measure immediately.
On Thursday evening, Minister Hirohisa Soma, the No. 2 diplomat at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, was brought to the ministry to explain Japan's restrictions.
In a text message sent to pool reporters, the ministry also expressed “extreme regret” over the entry restrictions.
“We ask Japan to withdraw such an excessive and irrational measure immediately. In the meantime, our government will seek all possible corresponding measures,” the ministry noted.
It called Tokyo's move a “denial of entry,” considering a Korean visiting Japan from next week will have to stay at designated facilities for two weeks after arrival, and deal with a more complicated and lengthy visa application process.
The entry restrictions add to already-worsened bilateral relations over unsettled historical disputes between the two neighbors and tit-for-tat retaliations, including controls on certain exports to Korean companies.
Against this backdrop, the foreign ministry said it was possible Japan's decision was “intended as something other than quarantine purposes.”
However, some sources remain skeptical as to whether the retaliatory action could be justified.
They noted that the government has not taken any action against other countries that have either banned the entry of or introduced quarantine procedures for visitors traveling from Korea.