Seoul-January 10, 2023

Since China began to abandon the zero covid policy

The latest of these reactions was the announcement by the Beijing embassy in Seoul that China suspended the issuance of short-entry visas to South Koreans, in response to the health restrictions imposed by Seoul on Chinese travelers and considered by Beijing to be "discriminatory".

"Embassies and consulates in Korea will suspend the issuance of short-term entry visas to Korean citizens," the embassy said, explaining that these measures "will be adjusted based on Seoul's lifting of discriminatory entry restrictions towards China".

Beijing currently does not issue any tourist visa and imposes on all arrivals from different parts of the world a negative test result for covid-19.

In December, Seoul imposed a series of health restrictions on travelers from China, including Visa and flight restrictions and mandatory covid-19 testing, citing a rise in covid-19 infections in China.

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Geun-hye told his Chinese counterpart Chen Gang that the restrictions were imposed on a "scientific basis".

In a separate statement, the ministry said Seoul had " previously communicated with China "about the measures and that the information had been"transparently exchanged with the international community".

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was" regrettable "that"some countries continue to insist on imposing discriminatory entry restrictions against China". Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said China "strongly opposes" the restrictions, without mentioning the decision to suspend the issuance of visas to South Koreans.

"We once again call on the countries concerned to take scientific and appropriate measures based on facts. "These measures should not be used for political maneuvers and there should be no discriminatory practices,"he added.

Seoul has reduced the number of flights from China, which will currently only have to land at Incheon International Airport, about 50 kilometers west of Seoul.

Currently, travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macau must submit a covid-19 Test with a negative result before heading to South Korea.

Chinese citizens are also subject to a test upon arrival, and to a week-long quarantine if they test positive, according to the authorities.

Seoul has excluded government officials, diplomats and people working in important humanitarian and commercial fields, entitling them to short-term visas until the end of January.

According to official figures, 2,224 Chinese citizens with short-term visas have arrived in South Korea since January 2, and 17.5 percent of them were confirmed infected by tests conducted on arrival.